5 Commanders players who could get cut after the 2024 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Braeden Daniels - Commanders OL
The Washington Commanders offensive line descended into chaos once again last season. Ron Rivera paid the price for his lack of player personnel evaluation or veteran investment. Sam Howell became the league's most sacked quarterback and never stood a chance of firmly establishing himself.
One of Rivera's biggest flaws was his value of position versatility rather than identifying draft prospects who specialized in one specific area. There was one success story - right guard Sam Cosmi - but it was a complete disaster aside from that. Braeden Daniels is another prime example.
Daniels was a fourth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was a college offensive tackle who Rivera thought would be better suited to the inside in the pros. His position switch and transition overall were deeply concerning throughout the summer as the player got a crash course against some outstanding defensive linemen at Washington's disposal.
The former Utah star looked overawed, akin to a rabbit in the headlights. Many wondered whether he'd make the 53-man roster as a result, but an injury suffered shortly before final cuts placed him on season-ending injured reserve.
This was a reprieve for Daniels, but his future remains under a cloud. The Commanders strengthened their offensive line in free agency with the signings of Nick Allegretti and Tyler Biadasz. Couple this with Cornelius Lucas re-signing a one-year deal and the promise of more reinforcements arriving from a deep 2024 NFL Draft class, it's not hard to see why things are looking bleak.
Cutting Daniels might seem harsh considering the luckless start to his NFL journey, but Adam Peters has removed any sentiment from his decision-making process as part of his business-first model. If he can find better options, the front-office leader will pull the trigger.
After all, it's been a long time since there was a sense of ruthlessness without emotion in Washington's roster construction.