7 Commanders players on the hot seat entering Preseason Week 3 vs Patriots

Ricky Stromberg - Commanders OL

Ricky Stromberg's versatility along the offensive line might be his saving grace. However, that's not a guarantee by any stretch of the imagination entering Year 2 of his professional career.

The Washington Commanders spent a third-round selection on Stromberg last year. Injuries meant he was an innocent bystander for the most part. He also struggled to adjust versus high-caliber NFL defensive linemen, which was a disappointing turn of events for someone Ron Rivera hoped would become their long-term starting center.

That's out of the question after the Commanders signed Tyler Biadasz to start and Michael Deiter to back him up in free agency. Stromberg must prove his worth as a dependable offensive guard. The jury is still out on that with just one preseason game remaining.

How Stromberg performs in Washington's preseason finale against the New England Patriots could have huge ramifications attached. But make no mistake, general manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to cut the cord if he believes a better alternative can be found.

John Ridgeway III - Commanders DL

Those on the defensive line depth chart have been relatively quiet behind the starting tackle tandem of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. Rookie second-rounder Johnny Newton endured an injury-ravaged first offseason with the team, but the player is reportedly making good progress in pursuit of Week 1 involvement.

After that, everything is up for grabs. Much will depend on how many interior depth pieces the Commanders take through. It could be a straight fight between Phidarian Mathis and John Ridgeway III for the fourth spot based on how things have unfolded over the summer.

Ridgeway's had a pedestrian camp and his performances didn't exactly encourage during the previous campaign. Mathis is the former second-round pick with better athletic traits, but a situation could emerge where new general manager Adam Peters cuts another Ron Rivera draft pick loose if he feels like it will benefit the franchise.

Both Ridgeway and Mathis will get their fair share of reps in Washington's preseason outing against the New England Patriots. Whoever performs better could be given the nod when it's all said and done.