D.J. Johnson - Commanders OLB
One of the biggest positives from training camp, and especially joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, was the amount of pressure generated by Daronte Jones' defense. They were wreaking havoc, boasting the speed, aggression, and explosiveness that represented a breath of fresh air.
The Commanders have a surplus of edge rushers, and there isn't enough room for them all. Good players will be released, and those who are on the fringes will be free to take their chances elsewhere.
D.J. Johnson is among them. The Commanders signed him late last season after the Carolina Panthers finally gave up on the 2023 third-round selection. That was inevitable from a long way out, but the presence of Scott Fitterer in Washington's front office gave him the recommendation needed for a second chance.
Fitterer was the Panthers' general manager when the franchise drafted Johnson. He showed enough to earn a reserve/futures contract from the Commanders, but he's found it hard to stand out from others.
This isn't surprising, given the strength in the room. But it does follow a concerning trend that has persisted throughout Johnson's career.
Johnson was way overdrafted through no fault of his own. He inevitably bombed out in Carolina, and his opportunity in Washington is going down the same path.
Sam Hartman - Commanders QB
This probably won't be right away, but there is now an air of inevitability about quarterback Sam Hartman's fate in the very near future.
Hartman got another reserve/futures contract after spending last season on the practice squad once again. This is his third offseason in Washington, and the required growth just hasn't arrived.
And based on the sample size throughout his stint with the Commanders, it looks like Hartman may have already reached his ceiling.
The former Notre Dame signal-caller was projected to be in a competition with seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis for the QB3 job behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota. After a bedding-in period for the first-year pro, it's now become one-sided. And Hartman is struggling to keep up.
Hartman's frailties were on full display during Washington's preseason curtain-raiser versus Miami. There were a couple of nice throws, but the accuracy and poor decision-making continue to hold him back. His footwork is subpar, and he cannot go through his progressions quickly enough before pressure arrives.
That's a big problem in offensive coordinator David Blough's system.
Mariota is dealing with an MCL sprain, ruling him out for the remainder of Washington's preseason slate. Hartman will still get some warm-up reps, but Kaliakmanis should get the lion's share. And being good buddies with Daniels should not be a reason to keep him on the practice squad again.
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