3 Commanders undrafted free agents with best roster chances post-camp
By Dean Jones
The Washington Commanders were willing to give everyone a legitimate chance to prove their worth this offseason under the new regime. Adam Peters' roster cull was drastic and necessary in equal measure. Anyone who survived it or was brought into the organization started with a clean slate. Positions would be earned, not handed out.
Some were more established than others. Those who went undrafted were starting from the bottom up. Their every move could come with severe repercussions attached for good or bad. The pressure was on to perform well and adjust smoothly.
It's a task some unheralded first-year pros have tackled with immense encouragement. Others have fallen by the wayside and don't look up to the required standard. A select few lie somewhere in the middle with their fortunes hanging in the balance as final cuts are just a few short days away.
With this in mind, here are three undrafted free agents with the best chance to win spots on the Commanders' initial 53-man roster in 2024.
Undrafted free agents with the best chance of making Commanders roster post-camp
Michael Wiley - Commanders RB
It was a tough ask for anyone looking to force their way into the running back dynamic this offseason. The Washington Commanders have their primary tandem locked up in Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler. There was also a lot to like about Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s chances of progressing in Year 2 after flashing during limited involvement as a rookie.
Things are not so clear-cut now. Rodriguez's place on the roster isn't secure following a pedestrian training camp and preseason. It's opened the door for others to stake a claim. Jeremy McNichols is one. Michael Wiley is the other.
Wiley failed to hear his name called during the 2024 NFL Draft. The five-year player at Arizona put up some decent numbers throughout his college career. There's a long way to go and nothing is guaranteed, but the dual-threat weapon is giving the Commanders plenty to think about.
If Wiley can bolster his chances by outperforming Rodriguez and McNichols in Washington's preseason finale against the New England Patriots, that could be enough to convince the coaching staff he's worthy of a place.