5 winners and losers from the Commanders preseason win vs. Bengals
By Dean Jones
Who were the big winners and losers from the Washington Commanders' preseason win against the Cincinnati Bengals at FedEx Field?
The dust has now settled on what turned out to be an impressive offseason for the Washington Commanders. While preseason results don't matter in the grand scheme of things, going 3-0 built further positive momentum and if nothing else, highlighted the improved depth at Ron Rivera's disposal in 2023.
Of course, the coming days will be difficult as final cuts are demanded by the NFL before Tuesday's deadline. Some decent players will miss out, but they can all look back on their respective accomplishments with great pride during a preparation period where hope returned to the franchise.
With that being said, here are five winners and losers from Washington's preseason finale at FedEx Field.
Winner No. 1
Chris Rodriguez Jr. - Commanders RB
The Washington Commanders must be absolutely thrilled with the way Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s gone about his business this offseason. His improvements are there for all to see and production when called upon during warmups leaves reasons for encouragement heading into a rookie campaign where he could feature.
Rodriguez caught the eye once again against the Cincinnati Bengals, gaining 52 rushing yards from just seven touches. The former Kentucky standout is averaging more than seven yards per carry since joining the Commanders, which all but guarantees his place on the 53-man roster along the way.
Just how much involvement Rodriguez gets behind Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson remains to be seen. But it wouldn't be a great shock to see a few touches come his way based on his preseason output.