Nate Herbig - Commanders OL
Much has been made about the Washington Commanders' marquee additions along the offensive line. Five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr. could be a highly productive team on the edge if the rookie picks things up quickly. However, there is one underdog story on the interior that warrants consideration.
Missing the entire 2024 campaign was a body blow to Nate Herbig's chances of staking a strong claim with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both sides went their separate ways this offseason, but the Commanders seem confident that his health concerns are firmly in the rearview mirror.
Herbig has versatility and experience. These two critical elements are always coveted in the trenches. It's not costing the Commanders much to find out one way or another, but it's a boost to their offensive line depth at worst if he gets a better run of luck on the health front.
Kain Medrano - Commanders LB
Many fans scoffed at the Commanders turning down an edge rusher in favor of linebacker Kain Medrano. But those who count in their building believe his athletic attributes can be molded into something more.
Medrano has an already built connection with linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. from their time together at UCLA. He was one of the highest-testing linebacking prospects at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. The rookie is a little rough around the edges technically, but the ceiling is higher than you think if he puts everything together.
It'll take a while for Medrano to grow. He's a poor tackler overall, so that's got to be improved to stand any chance in the pros. However, learning from Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu could get him up to speed quicker than anticipated.
If it takes a little longer, expect Medrano to become a special-teams ace in Year 1 with the Commanders.
K.J. Osborn - Commanders WR
Washington's wide receiver room could become the hottest training camp battle of the summer for fans to monitor. Very few spots are legitimately available, and several possibilities could win them if they impress enough.
One of those is going completely under the radar. K.J. Osborn is being surpassed by the hype of others, but the Commanders must have seen something from his limited involvement last season to give him a second opportunity.
Osborn remains pretty far down the pecking order, but he's got something the likes of Jaylin Lane, Chris Moore, Ja'Corey Brooks, and Mike Strachan don't right now. That's proven NFL production when it counts.
There's a reason why the New England Patriots quickly snapped up Osborn in free agency last year. Things didn't fit for whatever reason, but his performances with the Minnesota Vikings could be useful in Washington if the former Buffalo and Miami college standout can get back to anything like this form.