Colson Yankoff - Commanders TE
Colson Yankoff looked almost certain to make the Washington Commanders roster entering the offseason. That might still be the case, but much will depend on how many tight ends Adam Peters ends up taking through to Week 1 against the New York Giants.
Yankoff displayed all the right characteristics last year to make the 53-man roster. Nobody gave the undrafted free agent a shot, but he rose from the proverbial ashes to cement his status on the squad.
This didn't come with any involvement in the offensive rotation, but being around the setup made him a better player. Even so, it was a case of trying to prove himself all over again this time around.
There have been some encouraging flashes from Yankoff. He's improving as a blocker and looks more comfortable as a route runner. His emerging presence on special teams is another strong part of his game that gets overlooked, but it shouldn't.
These are positive steps in the right direction. Still, Yankoff might fall victim to the numbers game if the Commanders allocate three spots to the tight end position.
Those would go to Zach Ertz, John Bates, and Ben Sinnott. If the Commanders exposed Yankoff to waivers, someone else would almost certainly put in a claim.
Michael Gallup - Commanders WR
The Commanders are giving Michael Gallup an avenue back into the league this summer. A year out of the game in retirement was all the wide receiver needed to find his love for football again, and he felt that linking up with head coach Dan Quinn was the best possible environment to hit the ground running.
Gallup's had some nice moments this offseason. He was a standout early in workouts, but a hamstring strain dented his progress at mandatory minicamp.
Although Gallup has drawn praise from Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury throughout training camp, this hasn't translated to a preseason environment. The pass-catcher brought in just two receptions from seven targets for 27 receiving yards over the first two warmup games, which doesn't exactly scream consistency.
This puts the Commanders in a predicament. Gallup has previous production working in his favor, but it's been a long time since his 1,000-yard receiving campaign. And with competition for places fierce in the wideout room, a situation could emerge where the former Colorado State standout doesn't make the roster initially.
If the Commanders go down this route but plan to bring back Gallup on the practice squad to refine his skills further, they might be out of luck. Teams know what he can bring to the table, so getting a shot somewhere else is a legitimate possibility.