5 Commanders players who cemented roster spots in 2024 preseason opener

The NFL reduced the number of preseason games from four to three last year, giving each game added importance. There is precious little time for players on the roster bubble to show the coaching staff how they perform in real-time situations. As fans, we place even more significance on these contests since it is the one piece of training camp that is entirely public.

We aren’t in meetings, and a lot of practice remains confidential. But we see every play in a preseason game.

In the Washington Commanders' first official game under Dan Quinn, the team lost 20-17 to the New York Jets. They were in control through much of the contest but missed a crucial field and were unable to stop a couple of young undrafted quarterbacks from fighting back after most of the starters had departed.

The result doesn’t matter. The performance of a lot of players fighting to earn a roster spot does.

At several positions, especially at running back, those battles got tighter. It’s impossible to tell whether quarterbacks Jeff Driskel or Sam Hartman did enough to force the coaches to think about keeping three in 2024. They both performed well.

On the other side of the ball, things were different. Until touted draft pick Johnny Newton is healthy enough to play, Washington will need defensive tackles to spell starters Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. Coaches got a long look at those potential backups against the Jets, and none of them stood out.

The same is true at the linebacker position. The starters have been massively upgraded, but the backups remain a work in progress. New players like Anthony Pittman and Keandre Jones were certainly active, but they didn’t always make plays when they could have. At the very least, it didn’t appear that any of them took a major step forward in the battle to back up starters Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, and Jamin Davis.

There were a handful of players who did take a decisive step ahead of their competition. Here are five Commanders players who earned a roster spot with their performance against the Jets.

Commanders players who secured roster spots versus the Jets

Chris Paul - Commanders OL

Several good things happened for Chris Paul. He started in place of right tackle Andrew Wylie. Then he moved inside to the guard position he has played ever since he arrived in Washington.

Paul played right tackle at Tulsa but never really got a tryout on the outside in the pros. The fact that the coaches gave him a start at right tackle could be a sign. He seemed comfortable in limited snaps.

When he shifted back to guard, he also appeared very solid. Other interior linemen like veteran free agent Michael Deiter and newly signed J.C Hassenauer struggled, which opened the door even wider.

Deiter, in particular, had a rough game. One of the strikes against Paul coming into the season was that he didn’t offer the flexibility of other backups, many of whom can play both center and guard. If he can prove adept at multiple spots, it could set him apart from those other linemen.

Paul has always had physical tools and enthusiasm. He has simply needed to refine his technique and show consistency. He did that versus the Jets.