Commanders 53-man roster prediction: Offense
Quarterbacks (3): Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Athan Kaliakmanis
Jayden Daniels is the top guy. He's the franchise player tasked with spearheading the Washington Commanders' renaissance. And the early signs this summer suggest he is ready to make the NFL pay for writing him off.
Marcus Mariota will back him up, provided the injury he picked up in Washington's preseason win over the Miami Dolphins isn't too serious. If he's forced to miss considerable time, another veteran could be sought. But either way, seventh-round pick Athan Kaliakmanis' presence on the squad may be needed.
Kaliakmanis flashed promise in his preseason debut. Even if he isn't a backup right away, his live arm makes him an intriguing development project.
Running backs (4): Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen, Robert Henry Jr.
The running back dynamic is starting to work itself out. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White are the legitimate 1-2 backfield punch, and there is an interesting situation brewing behind them.
Sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen got a ton of work against the Dolphins. There were no negative plays, but there weren't many explosive ones either. That was not the case with undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr., who was among the biggest standouts at Northwest Stadium.
While Jerome Ford and Jeremy McNichols will still fancy their chances of making the team, Henry has now surged into the conversation. And if he continues to excel, he might just make it.
Wide receivers (7): Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, Treylon Burks, Antonio Williams, Dyami Brown
The Commanders finally granted Stefon Diggs his dream homecoming. This gives Washington a prolific veteran WR2 to go alongside Terry McLaurin, and it pushes everyone else a little further down the depth chart.
Diggs and McLaurin are locks. Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane offer too much value in the return game to remove them from the equation. Third-round rookie Antonio Williams will have an important role to play, and Treylon Burks should also stick around.
Much will depend on whether the Commanders take six or seven receivers through. If it's seven, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson Jr. are in a straight fight for the final spot. And the 2021 third-round pick out of North Carolina could be the tentative frontrunner.
Tight ends (4): Chig Okonkwo, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff
David Blough is expected to feature tight ends prominently in his offense. The Commanders have taken four tight ends over the last two years under head coach Dan Quinn, so don't be surprised if the same happens again.
Free-agent signing Chig Okonkwo will be counted upon heavily. John Bates has an important role as the team's best in-line blocker at tight end. There could be more to come from 2024 second-round selection Ben Sinnott, who's been a relative afterthought since being drafted.
The fourth spot will go to Colson Yankoff, who has put together an outstanding summer and could potentially become much more than just a special-teams ace.
Offensive line (8): Josh Conerly Jr., Sam Cosmi, Nick Allegretti, Chris Paul, Brandon Coleman, Trent Scott, Andrew Wylie, Matt Gulbin
The Commanders' offensive line took a major hit with the loss of five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. He'll miss most, if not all, of the 2026 campaign with a torn triceps, and Washington's decision-makers have not brought in any outside help yet.
Brandon Coleman is switching to the blindside, with Chris Paul at left guard. Whether this is enough remains to be seen, but the Commanders cannot afford for the protection in front of Jayden Daniels to become a weak link.
They also have doubts at center. Nick Allegretti's been out for most of training camp with a calf strain. Matt Gulbin is being brought along gradually, and Julian Good-Jones doesn't look up to the task at hand.
The right-hand side looks secure with Sam Cosmi and Josh Conerly Jr. Andrew Wylie and Trent Scott will be valuable backups.
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