10 Commanders draft picks under threat at 2024 training camp

Dax Milne - Commanders WR/KR

• No. 258 overall | 2021 NFL Draft

Christian Holmes and Andre Jones Jr. were the Washington Commanders' final selections in the 2022 and 2023 drafts respectively. Dax Milne occupied that position in the 2021 draft class.

Merely by sticking for three seasons with an NFL team, Milne has already beaten the odds. But his luck is likely to run out in 2024.

After seeing some action as a wide receiver in his first two years, and serving as the team’s primary punt returner in 2022, Milne was a complete non-factor in 2023. The Washington Commanders appear to have more explosive options this year, along with eight or nine receivers who appear to be ahead of the former BYU player at this point.

He will need a spectacular training camp to have a shot at a roster spot in 2024. And even that might not be enough.

Chris Paul - Commanders OL

• No. 230 overall | 2022 NFL Draft

Chris Paul started the final game of his rookie season in 2022. The Washington Commanders had a revolving door at guard that year, and when the former seventh-rounder finally got his turn, he showed a lot of athleticism and desire.

Paul was often the only lineman running downfield and playing through the whistle. But it was also clear that he needed a great deal of technical work. He played far too high and was not able to use his speed and power to drive defenders off the ball.

Under Ron Rivera’s coaching staff, the Commanders did a miserable job of taking raw linemen like Paul and coaching them up to a higher level. Almost all of their success came with veterans who had already developed technical prowess before Washington's offensive line coaches got hold of them.

The optimistic view on this is that with better coaching in 2024, perhaps Paul can begin to develop into a quality NFL guard. However, he has a lot of competition.

The Commanders brought in two veteran free agents at his position and have 2023 third-round pick Ricky Stromberg in the fold. Tackle Andrew Wylie can shift inside in an emergency, although his immediate future seems slotted to the right tackle position looking at the options available.

Unlike Stromberg and free agent Michael Deiter, Paul cannot play center. As such, he will need to establish himself as the best guard on the roster after starters Sam Cosmi and Nick Allegretti to secure his roster spot.