5 undrafted free agents most likely to make Commanders roster in 2023

Which undrafted free agents recently signed have good chances to make the Washington Commanders 53-man roster in 2023?

After drafting seven new players last weekend, the Washington Commanders continued building their 2023 roster by hitting the undrafted free-agent market. To date, they have signed 12 players to contracts, who’ll look to firmly establish themselves and potentially earn roster spots as rookies.

There are people who argue that going the UDFA route can actually be better for a player than being a seventh-round draft pick. The thinking goes that UDFAs will sometimes have multiple teams competing for them and can therefore pick the spot where they think they have the best chance to make a roster.

In the case of highly-coveted UDFAs – usually a quarterback or two – they sometimes can negotiate a nice-sized signing bonus as well. The New England Patriots paid former Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham $200,000 to sign.

That seems especially odd for a team that already has two young quarterbacks on its roster, but when you consider what Bill Belichick did with former college quarterback Julian Edelman, maybe it isn’t so strange. Look for Cunningham to line up in multiple spots for the Patriots in 2023.

Cunningham aside, it generally is not advantageous to be an undrafted free agent. Though it’s true that in terms of raw numbers, more UDFAs make NFL rosters than seventh-round picks, there are a lot more floating around out there. Their odds are not as good as those of a player in whom the franchise has invested a draft pick.

So do the latest signees of the Commanders have a chance of sticking? Let’s take a quick look at which UDFAs could make Wasington’s roster in 2023.

Commanders signed Mitchell Tinsley

• Wide Receiver | Penn State Nittany Lions

In a world of Tyreek Hill-like speedsters and A.J. Brown-like behemoths, Mitchell Tinsley does not really stand out. At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, he has good size for an NFL receiver, but he is not going to pose mismatch problems. And his speed is average at best.

What Tinsley has been throughout his college career is consistently productive. He simply has a knack for getting open.

Prior to his final season at Penn State, Tinsley played a couple of seasons at Western Kentucky, and in 2021, he got to play with current Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe. He put up monster numbers in 2021 en route to 87 catches for 1,402 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

He was not able to equal those stats last year for the Nittany Lions, but Tinsley still finished his career with catches in 31 straight games, and it seemed as if every time Penn State needed a first down, Sean Clifford was looking for him. More often than not, the receiver got open and made the play.

Tinsley does not have an easy path toward a roster spot. The top three Washington Commanders receiving spots are locked. Dyami Brown will almost certainly take the fourth spot with Dax Milne and newcomer Marcus Kemp the favorites for the remaining slots.

But the receiving corps remains very thin after that. An injury or some eye-opening work from Tinsley in training camp could vault him ahead.

Commanders signed Kazmeir Allen

• Wide Receiver | UCLA Bruins

Kazmeir Allen entered college as a running back, and even after making the transition to wide receiver, he would occasionally line up in the backfield. At 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, he would not seem to have the size to be an every-down player but has several things going for him in his battle to make the Washington Commanders roster.

Allen has the skill to be an elite kickoff returner. That spot is certainly open for the Commanders.

In high school, he recorded a number I have never seen before. He averages more than 41 yards per kickoff return. He continued his outstanding work at UCLA, averaging 29 yards per return in 2021.

Because he can also return punts and run gadget plays from the backfield, he offers excellent versatility. New offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy values playmakers above all else, and Allen has modeled his game partly on De’Anthony Thomas – another undersized, speedy receiver/returner who worked under the play-caller with the Kansas City Chiefs during their first Super Bowl run.

Allen has a real shot to stick this season as a kick returner. Since it is likely that Washington will not be able to hold onto gadget receiver Curtis Samuel past 2023, the undrafted free agent also has a chance to prove he can step into those shoes in 2024 and beyond.

Commanders signed Mason Brooks

• Offensive Line | Ole Miss Rebels

Mason Brooks was an outstanding lineman for Western Kentucky – the same school that Mitchell Tinsley attended initially – playing both tackle and guard at a very high level.

He transferred to Ole Miss for his 2022 season and played mostly in reserve. But his physical tools – 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds – with good feet, and his smarts (he was a consistent honor roll student in college), have earned him a longer look in the pros.

A few months ago, Brooks was a first-round draft pick of the Memphis Showboats in the USFL. But he has opted to take a shot with the Washington Commanders after getting an offer in undrafted free agency.

Washington values positional flexibility. Brooks will probably kick inside to guard in the NFL, but he has ample experience at tackle and could be good in an all-purpose reserve role.

The Commanders’ interior line situation remains a work in progress. There are a lot of new pieces to juggle this season, and no one has a position locked up.

A spot on the final 53 may be a longshot, but Brooks should be competing with Aaron Monteiro, Nolan Laufenberg, and Keaton Sutherland for a couple of slots on the practice squad.

Commanders signed Joshua Pryor

• Defensive End | Bowie State Bulldogs

Joshua Pryor is a local product, from Dunbar High School in Baltimore. He was extremely productive early in his time at Bowie State, and even though his production fell off some over the last few years, he still ended his career with 32 sacks and 77 tackles for loss.

At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, he figures to be a hybrid lineman in the mold of Efe Obada in 2022 or Daniel Wise in 2021. Pryor can play a traditional defensive end role, but can also slide inside and be more of a quick tackle on passing downs.

His ability to knife through bigger interior linemen and make plays in the backfield is very reminiscent of Wise. And he could be a useful asset if further improvements are made under Washington’s coaching staff.

Pryor put on a dominant performance at the HBCU Legacy Bowl, featuring the best players from HBCUs. By all accounts, he was virtually unblockable throughout the week of practices and could be a surprise performer in camp.

Washington is loaded with defensive linemen – they added two more edge players in the draft. But Pryor offers the size and positional flexibility that they don’t really have outside of Obada.

He is likely headed for the practice squad unless something incredible occurs in camp. But it will be very interesting to see what he can do against NFL-caliber talent throughout the summer.

Commanders signed Xavier Henderson

• Safety | Michigan State Spartans

Xavier Henderson was a four-year starter in the Big Ten. He was a captain for the Michigan State Spartans in his final two seasons. He recorded 273 tackles during his career.

Henderson is one of the most mature, polished safeties in this year’s graduating class. He does not have eye-popping physical traits, but he certainly has the raw speed and size to play in the NFL.

The Washington Commanders have an excellent young safety corps, but it is thin. Kamren Curl, Darrick Forrest, and Percy Butler are roster locks, and special team All-Pro Jeremy Reaves can fill in when needed.

Butler had an up-and-down rookie season. If the Commanders feel they need a steadier presence in the safety room, Henderson would fit the bill.

He is a natural leader who will certainly be prepared should he ever have to replace an injured starter. If second-round draft pick Quan Martin assumes more of a slot cornerback role, there could be a spot for another safety like Henderson on the final roster.

The Commanders will most likely pick up a few more free agents as the summer wears on. But for now, they have brought in five pretty good players, and if history is an indicator, one or two of them could be on the opening-day roster.