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.
Loser No. 1
Kazmeir Allen - Commanders WR/KR
There was a big opportunity awaiting Kazmeir Allen in this one. The Washington Commanders wanted to see what they truly had in the promising undrafted free agent, with a potential roster spot up for grabs if he impressed enough during increased involvement.
Sadly for Allen, he fluffed his lines. He was credited with two drops in the passing game that could have been brought in, with the UCLA product also fumbling a punt return inside the 10-yard line before quickly recovering.
This poor performance came at the worst possible time for Allen. The Commanders were looking to see if the wideout could be trusted when the real action arrived, so it would be surprising to see his name on the initial 53-man roster after this performance.
Ron Rivera and his staff are under immense pressure to improve the team's fortunes this season with Josh Harris' ownership group watching every move closely. If those in power feel like Allen could jeopardize their chances of potential playoff contention, they'll move on despite having high hopes about what he could bring to the organization.
If Allen is let go as anticipated, he's a strong candidate for the practice squad. This keeps him around as a development piece in the hope he can become what the Commanders envisaged when they made him a high-priority signing after the 2023 NFL Draft.
Winner No. 2
Mitchell Tinsley - Commanders WR
While one skill position player failed to meet expectations, the same cannot be said of Mitchell Tinsley. He's been an absolute revelation since joining the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent and another stylish performance against the Cincinnati Bengals solidifies his claims of a roster spot.
Tinsley's made big plays consistently and taken advantage of almost every target throughout Washington's impressive preseason. The wide receiver doesn't look out of place whatsoever and could be a surprise most teams don't see coming during his rookie campaign in the pros.
To say the former Western Kentucky and Penn State star left one good final impression would be an understatement. Tinsley brought in three receptions from four targets for 89 receiving yards and one touchdown - which could have been two scores had it not been for extremely slim margins.
There's no doubt Tinsley feels like he's done enough to make the team. Competition for places within the wideout room was fierce after the top-four options, but the rookie separated himself from the rest and is more than deserving of a shot.
Of course, there will be a sense of nervousness attached until the Commanders make it official. If Tinsley is surprisingly let go, then he's put out enough decent tape to get a chance elsewhere all things considered.
Loser No. 2
Chris Paul - Commanders OL
Ron Rivera has yet to name a confirmed starter at the left guard position, which is strange considering how important continuity is on the offensive line. The Washington Commanders have overseen a competition between Saahdiq Charles and Chris Paul throughout workouts, with the head coach also highlighting the possibility of rookie Ricky Stromberg being introduced to the protection as the campaign progresses.
This cannot become a weak link if the Commanders want to make the improvements needed on offense under Eric Bieniemy. Charles has dealt with injury issues once again this summer, but Paul didn't do his chances of starting reps any favors with a disappointing effort overall against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Upon further examination of the game film, Paul never looked comfortable at any stage. The former seventh-rounder was sluggish in pass protection, didn't get out on pulls with any urgency, and was even called for a crucial penalty to further compound his misery.
Paul's underwhelming display should be seen as a blip rather than anything more serious. He's done well throughout the preparation period to give himself a fighting chance of more involvement, although this subpar effort might be enough for the Commanders to start the campaign with Charles as their left-sided interior presence.
That might sound harsh. But Rivera and the Commanders have absolutely no margin for error this time around.
Winner No. 3
Jake Fromm - Commanders QB
The Washington Commanders are moving forward with Sam Howell as their starting quarterback. He's flourished throughout the offseason and installed real belief across the organization - something that was desperately needed following a series of grave errors in judgment during the Ron Rivera era at football's most important position.
Jacoby Brissett will serve as the veteran backup, but the status of Jake Fromm remains under a cloud. The Commanders might not take through three quarterbacks onto their roster, even if the signal-caller's been nothing short of outstanding during his time under center in warmup games.
Fromm ended his preseason engagements on a positive note against the Cincinnati Bengals. He looked poised and delivered the football with conviction, which led to 72.22 percent of his passes completed for 144 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a lofty 132.6 passer rating for good measure.
Rivera lauded Fromm after the game, stating he is under strong consideration for a roster spot. Especially considering the injury history of Commanders' quarterbacks since the head coach took charge.
Whichever way it goes from Fromm, he couldn't have done much more. And if it's not enough, then the Commanders will attempt to bring him back onto the practice squad if he clears waivers.