9 Commanders draft picks who could be gone after 2024 preseason finale

Andre Jones Jr. - Commanders OLB

There are reasons to be encouraged in the edge-rushing room, albeit moderately. The Washington Commanders needed some fresh faces after trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young before the deadline. Dorance Armstrong Jr., Clelin Ferrell, Dante Fowler Jr., and Javontae Jean-Baptiste were secured via free agency and the draft. This should fill the void and potentially improve the group's ability to create consistent pressure.

Jamin Davis' encouraging progress over the last week means he'll see plenty of work on the edge. K.J. Henry is building on a promising rookie campaign after catching the eye in Sweat and Young's absence. Where this leaves Andre Jones Jr. is anyone's guess, but he's got his work cut out with just one last chance to impress the coaching staff.

Jones was a seventh-round pick last year but worked exceptionally hard to make the team. The Louisiana product earned rotational reps and became impactful on special teams when given the chance. Keeping this up is a big challenge. He also seems pretty far down the depth chart all things considered.

Teams have no trouble disposing of seventh-round selections at the best of times. For someone with Adam Peters' ruthless roster-building approach, he won't bat an eyelid.

Emmanuel Forbes Jr. - Commanders CB

Emmanuel Forbes Jr.'s rookie campaign was a catastrophe. Ron Rivera thought he was the shutdown presence needed to take this defense into the upper echelons of the league. It looks like one more grave personnel error for his ever-growing list.

Forbes got another chance to prove himself this offseason under the new regime. Some thought Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. were the perfect coaches to help him develop effectively. There have been plenty of encouraging moments. He's also gone through significant hardship along the way.

There are concerns about Forbes' size and whether he'll ever be able to successfully cover prolific NFL wide receivers. Sam Fortier from The Washington Post raised concerns about whether his physical profile fits the Commanders' new vision for the future. They aren't exactly blessed with solid cornerback depth, but it's hard to say which way this is going to go long-term.

Removing Forbes from the equation after just one season looking at the options available is a monumental call. But with rookie second-rounder Mike Sainristil taking more snaps on the outside, it couldn't be completely dismissed following another rollercoaster offseason for the Mississippi State product.

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