Luke McCaffrey - Commanders WR
The Washington Commanders had a surplus in their wide receiver room. There were a couple of roster locks, but the summer arrival of Stefon Diggs during training camp pushed everyone else lower down the depth chart.
Terry McLaurin, Diggs, and third-round rookie Antonio Williams were locks. Jaylin Lane's value in the return game saw him through, and the Commanders still believe Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown can fulfill their pre-draft promise.
That left little room for the rest. And reading between the lines before Washington's final preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, the final spot was between veteran Van Jefferson Jr and 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey.
Jefferson had the experience and arguably flashed a little more than McCaffrey over the summer. But the Rice product was one of Peters' draft picks, and his production as a kick returner eventually tipped the scales in his favor.
McCaffrey is on the team. Jefferson was released, and he is still looking for a route back into the league just a few days after final cuts were confirmed.
It's now or never for McCaffrey. He is clearly at the bottom of Washington's wideout pecking order. He'll be the starting kick returner, but if he wants to become anything more, the No. 100 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft has a lot of hard work ahead.
Tyler Owens - Commanders S
The Commanders gave everyone a clean slate this offseason. Nobody wanted to remember their 2025 campaign for long, so this was all about turning the page. Some floundered, but there were a few who seized the moment to remain part of the team's plans.
One of those was Tyler Owens. The popular defensive back was utilized all over the field by Daronte Jones at training camp. He continued this trend into the preseason, and the 2024 undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech showed signs that he might finally be putting his exceptional athletic attributes to better use.
This was all Washington needed to see. Owens deservedly made the team, and considering how highly Jones rates him, there is a window of opportunity to feature him in the rotation.
Owens has always had the physical measurables to be more impactful. Joe Whitt Jr. couldn't unlock them, and even though the player still has to step up when things matter more, it seems as if Jones may have found the formula to realize his undoubted potential.
While Owens deserves enormous credit for fighting back in the face of significant adversity this offseason. But in a contract year, what comes next when competitive games commence is much more important.
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