Ale Kaho - Commanders LB/EDGE
It's been a stuttering start to Ale Kaho's life with the Washington Commanders. The undrafted free agent linebacker/edge rusher did remarkably well to make the 53-man roster, but he's only featured three times in 2025. Not entirely unsurprising, especially considering his need to make adjustments to cope with the NFL's faster pace.
Kaho looks eerily similar to what Frankie Luvu did early in his career. He was a dynamic special teamer who played with reckless abandon and ruthless aggression in equal measure. Being more disciplined was the missing spark that brought his game to entirely new heights, and the UCLA product has to follow his lead to stand any chance of carving out a productive career.
The Commanders fell inlove with Kaho's dynamism and tireless effort. He's yet to log a defensive snap this season while making a tremendous impact on special teams. Washington desperately needs to add more youthful exuberance to its linebacking unit, so seeing what the first-year pro can do must be considered at some stage over the next three games.
If it doesn't work out, so what?
Jaylin Lane - Commanders WR
Jaylin Lane is gaining some legitimate Pro Bowl buzz for his exploits in the return game. He's now brought back two punts for touchdowns — the first Washington player to accomplish this feat in a single season since Brian Mitchell. However, the rookie wide receiver remains an afterthought in the Commanders' passing attack.
That seems bemusing when one considers how elusive and explosive Lane is with the football in his hands. Expanding his route tree over the offseason would be wise. Until then, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury needs to get more creative in getting the Virginia Tech product into better positions to thrive.
As previously mentioned, Noah Brown is on injured reserve. There is no telling if Deebo Samuel Sr. will be back next season, so giving Lane some much-needed touches on offense is only going to help his growth. There is nothing to lose at this point.
Lane is carving out a decent niche for himself on special teams. The Commanders should be eager to find out if this can transition into their offense.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt - Commanders RB
It was hard not to be engulfed by the hype around Jacory Croskey-Merritt throughout the summer and early in his rookie season. The Commanders' seventh-round running back gained national headlines after a meteoric surge to prominence. However, this was always going to be challenging to sustain.
Croskey-Merritt's influence tailed off, even with Austin Ekeler on the shelf through injury. Ball security became a problem at times, and his lack of pass-blocking prowess led to a waning of trust in his capabilities. Not the end of the world, but it slowed down his roaring momentum in no uncertain terms.
The No. 245 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft got the chance to stake another claim in Week 15 against the New York Giants. Chris Rodriguez Jr. missed the game, and although veteran Jeremy McNichols started the contest, Croskey-Merritt got the lion's share of carries en route to 96 rushing yards and one touchdown from 18 carries.
That should be enough for Croskey-Merritt to gain more valuable experience down the stretch. Anything less is coaching malpractice.