5 surprise inclusions on the Washington Commanders initial 53-man roster
By Jonathan Eig
The only genuine surprising player removal by the Washington Commanders during final cuts was the release of second-year edge rusher K.J. Henry. At a position of need, the former fifth-round selection appeared to have the athleticism to develop into a quality pass rusher. If he does so now, it will likely be for another team.
Henry’s release was part of the final commentary on Ron Rivera’s last draft class in Washington. Adam Peters released every pick made in 2023 between the third and seventh rounds - five players in all. He also waived Cole Turner, a fifth-rounder from 2022.
Only six players remain from the 15 chosen in the last two drafts. That is a devastating repudiation of how the previous regime went about roster-building.
However, within the cuts came some surprise success stories. Each year, some players survive cutdown day when few gave them a chance before offseason workouts began. That's a testament to their hard work and ability to produce the goods under pressure.
Their positions are not exactly secure yet, as Peters will continue tinkering with the roster as he evaluates cuts made by other teams. But for now at least, here are five surprising Commanders who made it through to see another day with the club.
Surprise inclusions on the Commanders initial 53-man roster
Colson Yankoff - Commanders TE
We had been hearing good things about Colson Yankoff through training camp. However, he wasn’t getting much run in preseason games.
Yankoff is a versatile tight end. He can line up in the backfield. He can split outside. Or he can play the traditional in-line role. He has good size and good athleticism. This didn't go unnoticed by the coaching staff en route to a spot on the initial 53-man squad.
A lot of analysts pegged second-round draft pick Ben Sinnott as a poor man’s George Kittle. Of course, Peters is a big fan having been around the player during his time with the San Francisco 49ers.
Yankoff could be a poor man’s Sinnott. Or perhaps a slightly wealthier man’s Kyle Juszczyk. His unlikely journey gives a pretty clear indication of the type of versatile tight ends the new regime will lean on.