Tyler Owens - Commanders S
Tyler Owens has been something of an enigma since joining the Washington Commanders. The athletically gifted safety surged his way onto the roster as an undrafted free agent last year. It didn't result in any time on the defensive rotation, but the experience of being around the setup served him well.
The coaching staff outlined their desire to get Owens more involved in 2025. But after getting 28.8 percent of the defensive snaps in Week 3, he didn't log another rep for Joe Whitt Jr.'s unit until Week 8.
That is nothing short of astonishing when one considers how other safeties are failing to meet the grade. Owens' production has never lived up to his physical gifts. He remains unpolished, especially in coverage. However, the best (and only) way to make the desired improvements is through genuine game-time involvement in the regular season.
If Owens is healthy, he should be playing. That's not up for debate anymore.
Ben Sinnott - Commanders TE
It is time to take the training wheels off Ben Sinnott.
The Commanders drafted him in the second round last year for a reason. They thought he could become a well-rounded, No. 1 tight end option to replace veteran Zach Ertz down the road. The jury is still out almost two years into his professional journey.
Sinnott's snap percentage remains the same as his rookie campaign. He's received just two targets in the passing game. Not exactly what fans had in mind for the No. 53 overall pick in 2024, but something is preventing the coaching staff from featuring him prominently.
Just what that is remains a mystery to fans. But the Commanders are not going to make the playoffs, so this is a tremendous time to ramp things up with Sinnott to see what they might have.
It'll be a stern litmus test for the Kansas State product. If he comes through it with flying colors, questions will be asked about why Sinnott wasn't introduced sooner.
Kain Medrano - Commanders LB
Most fans thought Kain Medrano was an odd draft pick by Adam Peters. They believed that finding a developmental edge rusher would have been far more beneficial to their final selection. Still, the linebacker came highly recommended and posted some of the best testing scores at the NFL Scouting Combine.
It was clear very early in the summer that Medrano was a work in progress. For all his physical gifts, the rookie was incredibly raw. This was especially evident with his positional sense and tackling technique. The former UCLA standout made the 53-man roster, but he's been an innocent bystander through the first nine games of the campaign.
Medrano has been active just twice. He has yet to log a snap on the defensive rotation. The Commanders don't have anything to lose with nothing much to play for other than pride, so finding ways to get him on the field will provide a broader sense of how much hard work remains.