Things are starting to become clearer for the Washington Commanders. Training camp is in full swing, and the first preseason game against the New England Patriots is on the immediate horizon. The regular season is fast approaching, which means time is running out for those looking to stick around.
The Commanders have lofty expectations on their shoulders this season. Getting to the NFC Championship game was a magnificent early accomplishment in Year 1 under head coach Dan Quinn. Making sure this becomes the start of a profitable era for the organization is a far more difficult proposition.
Adam Peters worked hard to strengthen the team this offseason. There is one major problem to resolve, with wide receiver Terry McLaurin still not practicing after handing in a trade request. He wants a new deal, and the Commanders don't want to pay north of $30 million per season. Although it's become a distraction, this roster is professional enough to remain focused on the task at hand.
Players have done everything in their power to make their presence felt. The Commanders are watching closely, and Peters won't hesitate to seek assistance from elsewhere if he believes it can help their playoff push. It's a fine line for some, so nothing but high-level consistency will do.
That's for the not-too-distant future. For now, here are five Commanders players who are already tumbling down the depth chart.
Commanders players already tumbling down the depth chart at training camp
Clelin Ferrell - Commanders DE
The Washington Commanders still have some concerns around their ability to create pressure heading into the campaign. Signing future Pro Football Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller will help, but by how much at this late stage of his playing career remains to be seen.
Miller is listed as the starting outside linebacker on Washington's unofficial depth chart, which is the role occupied by Dante Fowler Jr. in 2024 before he departed for the Dallas Cowboys in free agency. He can line up as a defensive end when called upon, but Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Deatrich Wise Jr. should lead the way in 2025.
It gets murkier after that. Jalyn Holmes has impressed at training camp. The same goes for Javontae Jean-Baptiste, who's flashed tremendous promise as he looks for more involvement in Year 2 of his professional career.
That leaves Clelin Ferrell facing uncertainty. The former Clemson standout got a new one-year deal this offseason and should make the squad. But if he's hoping for the rep allocation he was given last season, the defensive end might be out of luck.
Dominique Hampton - Commanders LB
The Washington Commanders have high hopes for their linebacking corps in 2025. However, that won't be good news for everybody.
Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu lead the charge once again. Both earned second-team All-Pro honors last season, providing inspirational leadership to spearhead Washington's renaissance at the defensive second level. Joe Whitt Jr. also plans to get Jordan Magee more involved after his promising start last summer was derailed by injury.
The Commanders have Nick Bellore as their veteran special-teams ace. There's also the presence of rookie Kain Medrano to factor into the equation.
Medrano's athleticism is absolutely off the charts. The Commanders are trying to identify how best to maximize his skill set, but the fact that he's getting work with the first-string defense at training camp is immensely encouraging at this stage of his development.
Where that leaves Dominique Hampton is anyone's guess. Unofficial depth charts are exactly that, but last year's sixth-round pick is buried down the order heading into the preseason.
Hampton came into the Commanders as a safety, but the coaching staff shifted his role. He made the roster but was used sparingly. It was a redshirt year for the former Washington Huskies standout, and he's now facing a fight to retain his roster spot.
Sheldon Day - Commanders DL
The competition for places is fierce on the defensive line. Although the starting positions seem locked up depending on what alignment Joe Whitt Jr. runs in different situations, those further down the pecking order are in a real fight to secure their respective spots.
The margin for error is razor-thin heading into the preseason. This bears more significance on the interior, with Javon Kinlaw, Daron Payne, and 2024 second-round pick Johnny Newton firmly secured as Washington's top-three options heading into the campaign.
Washington also signed Eddie Goldman this offseason. He's made an outstanding impression at training camp, demonstrating the run-stuffing abilities that the Commanders were sorely lacking in 2024. That's only going to help, but it does nothing to improve Sheldon Day's chances of retaining his key rotational role.
Day was moderately successful when called upon last season. There were flaws, although one could say the same about every defensive lineman. The Commanders gave him another one-year deal, but it seems like he's fighting it out with Carl Davis Jr. for the fifth defensive tackle spot, at least from the outside looking in.
Much will depend on how many interior linemen the Commanders take through. Even so, Day needs to shine in the preseason to book his place on the 53-man roster.
Jeremy McNichols - Commanders RB
Jeremy McNichols has been dependable throughout his career. The running back has never been a game-changing presence, but he's well-rounded in all phases. That proved to be the case once again in 2024.
The Washington Commanders signed McNichols to back up the starting tandem of Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler. His production was solid when called upon, gaining 4.7 yards per carry and four touchdowns from 55 touches. No fewer than 164 of his 261 rushing yards came after contact, which was enough for Adam Peters to give him another one-year deal this offseason.
However, this didn't come with any guarantees attached. McNichols has to prove himself all over again this offseason, and the rapid emergence of seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt places his roster spot firmly in jeopardy.
Croskey-Merritt has been one of the team's feel-good stories of the summer. His relentless energy, purposeful running, and the supreme conviction to exploit gaps made him an instant fan favorite. Everyone loves an underdog story, but it seems like the Commanders might have a major steal on their hands if the same trend continues.
Much will depend on how Croskey-Merritt performs in the preseason. But if he passes that test, McNichols won't be the No. 3 back in 2025.
Noah Igbinoghene - Commanders CB
Before we begin, it's worth noting that Noah Igbinoghene's placement on this list is unrelated to his performance levels. The cornerback has been superb once again throughout the summer, cementing his roster status as he looks to build on the most promising campaign of his professional career.
Igbinoghene reunited with head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. in Washington last year. The coaching staff believed that the cornerback was starting to turn his career around and wanted to see if there was more untapped potential remaining. They were correct.
The former first-round pick was tasked with significant responsibilities. Igbinoghene manned the nickel role once Mike Sainristil switched outside. There were some deficiencies against the run, but his coverage capabilities were more than enough to get another one-year deal from the franchise.
This didn't stop the Commanders from strengthening the cornerback unit this offseason. Adam Peters signed two-time Super Bowl winner Jonathan Jones in free agency. He used the No. 61 overall pick on Trey Amos, whose instant impact saw him become the starter opposite Marshon Lattimore on the boundary sooner than expected.
With Sainristil going back into the slot and thriving, Igbinoghene is the No. 5 option after starting the majority of games last season. But he'll still have an important role to play.