Which undecided position battles are worth monitoring during the Washington Commanders' final preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals?
The Washington Commanders head into their final preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals this Saturday with most of the roster spots already in place. But as always, there are several fierce battles still being waged for a final place or two.
Injuries always figure into the last-minute roster decisions. The Commanders have uncertainty about a couple of players which may lead them to keep a little extra depth at a particular position. That in turn leads to a cut that wasn’t expected at another position.
It will become evident on Tuesday, August 29, when the roster must be reduced from 90 to 53 players. Many of the released will find a home on Washington's practice squad, and there is likely to be further tinkering with the roster even after cutdown day.
But for now, let’s examine three highly competitive position groups that will come into greater focus as we watch the final preseason game. Keep in mind that merely playing or not playing in that final contest does not necessarily indicate what the coaches are thinking.
Sometimes, they will rest a player who has already secured his spot so that they can get a better look at those on the fringe. And also keep in mind that games are merely snapshots. A good play in a game – or a bad one – does not outweigh the hours of practice that the coaches have already seen
Unless you are one of the said coaches, watching the game is the best tool we have to form our opinions and make our guesses. So, here’s what I will be watching this Saturday.
Commanders WR depth
This is one of the most exciting groups on the roster, and with Eric Bieniemy’s pedigree, we can expect the Washington Commanders will make more use of their weapons than they have in recent years.
In 2022, only three wideouts had double-digit receptions. Only three totaled more than 150 yards or were targeted more than 20 times within Scott Turner's uninspiring offensive system.
Those three – Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel – are all back in 2023 and should post solid numbers. They will most likely be joined by two other veterans – Dyami Brown and Byron Pringle – who should top the meager numbers recorded by the fourth and fifth receivers last year.
Those five players are probably secure. That leaves either one or two more spots still up for grabs. It will likely come down to a competition between these four receivers – Kazmeir Allen, Marcus Kemp, Dax Milne, and Mitchell Tinsley.
I see no scenario in which both Allen and Milne make the roster. Barring something quite unforeseen, one of them will be the team’s primary kick returner this season.
I think Allen has a slight edge here, but it is not a lock. For one thing, though he is clearly a better kickoff returner, the return is being almost legislated out of the pro game.
Allen will have to prove he is a better punt returner than Milne. The veteran is not spectacular, but he is steady and the coaches have experience with him. They may feel more comfortable relying on the BYU product over the rookie. I would pay a lot of attention to who is returning punts on Saturday.
Before the signing of Pringle, I thought Kemp would make the team as a special team ace. But the Commanders may decide that he is too much of a specialist. If they feel like some of their other backups can perform on coverage teams, he may find himself waiting around on the practice squad.
As for Tinsley, his fate may be directly tied to how serious McLaurin’s toe injury proves to be. The Commanders have four other quality receivers to pick up the slack, but if they have concerns about how quickly their talisman can safely return, they might decide to hold onto the undrafted free agent as insurance.
We have heard nothing but raves about his performances in camp. Look for Tinsley to be targeted a lot come Saturday - if he can make a couple of big plays in the game, he may force his way onto the roster as a seventh receiver.
Commanders DE depth
Montez Sweat and Chase Young are the starting defensive ends. I think James Smith-Williams is the first option behind them. And Efe Obada’s positional flexibility means he has a spot as well.
The Washington Commanders will keep either five or six defensive ends. This means that veteran Casey Toohill may be competing against 2023 draftees K.J. Henry and Andre Jones Jr. for the remaining one or two spots.
This could well be one of those cases in which the rookies will play a lot more than the veteran. But I wouldn’t read too much into that. The Commanders know what Toohill can do. He is a very active athletic edge player who is also quite good on special teams.
That will be one of the things to watch for with the rookies. See how often and how well Henry and Jones line up for kick coverage.
This could also be a situation in which one big play could in fact win someone a job. For all its pedigree and potential, the Commanders have not had a defensive end record double digits in sacks since Ryan Kerrigan did it in 2018.
Sweat is a quality pass rusher, and Young is eager to show what he can do now that he is healthy. But this team desperately needs more pressure from its edge players.
The entire defense is predicated on this. If Henry or Jones shows this ability against the Cincinnati Bengals – one big sack or consistent pressure across multiple series - that could be what it takes to get them a spot on the final roster.
Toohill will certainly play because Sweat and Young will play very little - if at all. The experienced presence can help himself with a sack as well. But I think he goes into this game with his reputation already in place. It’s up to the rookies to prove that they can top each other, and the veteran.
Commanders CB depth
Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste, Emmanuel Forbes, and Quan Martin will be the Washington Commanders' top four cornerbacks in 2023. Traditionally, the team has kept six.
This means - just like with the wide receivers - the battle for the final roster spots will come down to four other players. Danny Johnson, Rachad Wildgoose, Christian Holmes, and Tariq Castro-Fields, to be precise.
Also like the receivers, I don’t see both Johnson and Wildgoose making the final 53. They are smaller players, better suited to playing the slot. Neither is especially good on the perimeter. You can afford to keep one of them, but not two.
Wildgoose is coming off a very poor game against the Baltimore Ravens, so he must bounce back and make plays from the slot. I feel much more comfortable with Johnson in this role, but just as the severity of Terry McLaurin’s injury figures into the receiver calculations, his unfortunate rotator cuff strain – the result of a petulant cheap shot from Mark Andrews – complicates this equation.
I do not assume Johnson will play on Saturday, and he may be out for longer. That leaves the door wide open for Wildgoose. But he has to play well. If he doesn’t, the Commanders may choose to keep two longer bodies who are better suited to playing outside.
Holmes and Castro-Fields have a shot at taking the final spot, but both have to show they can hold up when playing man on the outside. Standing out on special teams won't hurt either.
I expect Wildgoose to play well enough to show he can be a reliable slot corner – at least until Johnson is fully recovered. And I expect Holmes to edge out Castro-Fields, as well as Nick Whiteside, who I am not mentioning here, but who I have liked in the limited amount of time I’ve seen him.
But this is why they play the games.