The Washington Commanders' preseason ended with a whimper after a disastrous performance against the Baltimore Ravens. Now, general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn will focus their attention on the most difficult part of the job.
Final cuts are now due. They typically come in waves, and the Commanders still have some difficult problems to solve. And it's also worth remembering that Washington's initial 53-man roster might not be set in stone.
Peters will be scouring the waiver wire for potential options. The Commanders could also look to make a trade or two in positions of need, but that seems less likely. Either way, the margin for error has long gone.
A fascinating few hours await, and there will be some surprises along the way. We'll keep you up to date with everything in this live tracker.
Last updated Sunday, August 30 (12.05 pm ET).
- Latest Commanders roster cuts
- Updated Commanders 53-man roster
- Notable Commanders roster cuts
- Potential waiver wire targets from around the league
Latest Commanders roster cuts
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Will Harris | Safety |
Qwuantrezz Knight | Safety |
Joshuah Bledsoe | Safety |
Boogie Basham | Outside Linebacker |
D.J. Johnson | Outside Linebacker |
Nicholas Petit-Frere | Offensive Tackle |
Nick Nash | Wide Receiver |
Jeffrey M'ba | Defensive Line |
Craig Reynolds | Running Back |
Trey Hill | Center |
Daniel Brunskill | Offensive Line |
Max Scharping | Offensive Line |
Byron Cowart | Defensive Line |
Krys Barnes | Linebacker |
Car'lin Vigers | Cornerback |
Fred Davis II | Cornerback |
Julian Good-Jones | Offensive Line |
Sam Hartman | Quarterback |
Trent Scott | Offensive Line |
Robert Henry Jr. | Running Back |
Shy Tuttle | Defensive Line |
Van Jefferson Jr. | Wide Receiver |
Jaden Bradley | Wide Receiver |
Lawrence Cager | Tight End |
Antonio Hamilton Sr. | Cornerback |
Maurice Hurst II | Defensive Line |
Curtis Jacobs | Linebacker |
Quindell Johnson | Safety |
Jacoby Jones | Wide Receiver |
Ale Kaho | Linebacker |
T.J. Maguranyanga | Outside Linebacker |
Tre' McKitty | Tight End |
Quentin Moore | Tight End |
Fabian Moreau | Cornerback |
Darius Rush | Cornerback |
Updated Commanders 53-man roster
QB: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Athan Kaliakmanis.
RB: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen, Jeremy McNichols (IR).
WR: Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, Antonio Williams.
TE: Chig Okonkwo, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff.
OL: Nick Allegretti, Brandon Coleman, Josh Conerly Jr., Sam Cosmi, Matt Gulbin, D.J. Humphries, Chris Paul, Tanoa Togiai, Laremy Tunsil, Andrew Wylie.
DL: Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, Johnny Newton, Tim Settle Jr., Ricky Barber.
OLB: Dorance Armstrong Jr., K'Lavon Chaisson, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Joshua Josephs, Charles Omenihu, Odafe Oweh, Deatrich Wise Jr. (PUP).
LB: Frankie Luvu, Leo Chenal, Sonny Styles, Jordan Magee, Kain Medrano.
CB: Mike Sainristil, Trey Amos (IR), Amik Robertson, Rasul Douglas.
S: Quan Martin, Nick Cross, Jeremy Reaves, Tyler Owens, Percy Butler.
ST: Tress Way (P), Tyler Ott (LS), Drew Stevens (PK)
Notable Commanders roster cuts
Van Jefferson Jr., WR
It was always going to be a numbers game at wide receiver. Given who was active against the Ravens, it was between Van Jefferson Jr. and Luke McCaffrey. And despite a strong summer, the veteran free-agent signing was the one to go.
Shy Tuttle, DL
The Commanders released Shy Tuttle, but ESPN insider Adam Schefter revealed that the team plans to bring him back for Week 1. Whether that's on the practice squad for a call-up or something else remains to be seen, but Washington needs better solutions to these depth problems.
Robert Henry Jr., RB
After a blazing start to the preseason, things gradually fizzled out for undrafted rookie running back Robert Henry Jr. He had big ambitions to make the team, but it wasn't to be. However, he's got more than enough talent to be a strong candidate for the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Trent Scott, OL
The Commanders' offensive line depth wasn't great, but Trent Scott was considered a solid enough depth piece. That quickly changed in the preseason, and a disastrous outing against the Baltimore Ravens was enough for Washington to cut him loose.
Sam Hartman, QB
The Commanders gave Sam Hartman a chance to fight it out for the QB3 gig this offseason, but it became apparent quickly that Athan Kaliakmanis was far superior. Being Jayden Daniels' good buddy might see him go onto the practice squad, but a place on the 53-man roster was out of the question.
Julian Good-Jones, OL
When Nick Allegretti got hurt on the first day of training camp, Julian Good-Jones got the starting reps at center. It did not go well, and now, the Commanders have made the right call by removing him from the equation. He is not an NFL-caliber player, and Washington needs more.
Craig Reynolds, RB
The Commanders gave Craig Reynolds a chance, signing him late in the summer. It was always going to be a tough slog to make the squad, though he was familiar with offensive coordinator David Blough from their time together on the Detroit Lions. That proved accurate, but he's a good option for the practice squad if given the chance.
Boogie Basham, OLB
There wasn't much time for Boogie Basham to impose himself on the Commanders. He arrived at the franchise last week, so making the roster initially was always going to be a tall order. Others were inevitably preferred, but it'll be interesting to see if the 2021 second-round selection has done enough for a place on the practice squad.
Will Harris, S
This was notable enough to include, even though it happened after his dismal preseason outing against the Detroit Lions. Will Harris was a yard off the pace. Whatever athleticism remained in the veteran safety was sapped by a serious injury last season, and he just didn't look suited to Daronte Jones' scheme.
Potential waiver wire targets from around the league
Mazi Smith, DL
The connection between Mazi Smith and Dan Quinn, stemming from their time together with the Dallas Cowboys, could see the Commanders take a flyer on the defensive lineman for depth purposes. However, they should think twice. He was a weak link on the New York Jets over the summer, and the 2023 first-round pick is clearly heading in the wrong direction.
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