Which players could the Washington Commanders potentially get their hands on after final cuts have been confirmed around the NFL?
I don’t know whether or not I will write a standard roster projection for the 2023 Washington Commanders before their final cuts. We’ve got other guys here who are better suited to do it. But I will offer one piece of advice to anyone putting together a roster projection. Leave a line or two blank.
There’s a very good chance the Commanders' opening day roster will have a player or two not currently on the team. In other words, the original 53 won't be the 53.
It's not a guarantee. The Commanders now have a roster that is deeper and more talented than any they have had in the past decade. That means they are less desperate to scoop up castoffs from other teams.
Major questions at quarterback and offensive line may temper expectations for the upcoming season. But this is a franchise headed in the right direction both on and off the field.
Still, there are multiple positional weak spots, and Washington will be studying the waiver wire to grab anyone who might provide depth. They have added a few key players in each of the past four seasons late into the summer and will strive to do so again if those in power feel it can help.
In 2019, it was Donald Penn, lured out of retirement in July to shore up the train wreck at left tackle. With the brief exception of Geron Christian in 2020, everyone who has played left tackle for the Commanders over the past five seasons has been a free-agent acquisition - though Cornelius Lucas and Charles Leno, Jr. were signed earlier in the cycle.
In 2020, the Commanders snatched Casey Toohill after the Philadelphia Eagles waived him a month into the season. Last year, cornerback Rachad Wildgoose arrived just before the start of the campaign, and defensive tackle John Ridgeway was also acquired.
There’s a decent chance another player like that is destined to wear Commanders colors within the next few weeks. Let’s look at a few possibilities.
And let’s do this systematically. How, you ask?
First, we look at groups where the Commanders need help. Then we go around the league and identify teams who are well-stocked at that position and who are likely to release a quality player or two.
I have three such teams – and nine such players – for you to keep an eye on.
Commanders could sign a TE from the NY Jets
Though it’s tricky to predict the impact that Aaron Rodgers might have on the New York Jets' final roster decisions, one thing has been clear. The quarterback will throw the ball to anyone who can make plays.
That could include tight ends, but the recent addition of running back Dalvin Cook makes me think the Jets ultimately will keep only three at the position. And they have six pretty good ones in camp.
Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah are locks, and Jeremy Ruckert is a recent draft pick. Even if they decide to keep four, two of the following three players will be on the market.
Commanders could sign Kenny Yeboah
The knock on Kenny Yeboah has been that he simply doesn’t have the lower body strength to be a decent in-line tight end at the pro level. But you can build up strength.
Though he may never be a stud blocker, Yeboah is a very intriguing prospect as a receiver. He has good size, and he has a background in basketball, which has translated to professional success for any number of NFL tight ends.
During his final year at Ole Miss, Yeboah gained 181 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Alabama. If you watched him playing with Matt Corral that year, you saw a player with good body control and a knack for getting open.
He is worth a look, especially if Logan Thomas has trouble regaining his 202 form.
Commanders could sign E.J. Jenkins
E.J. Jenkins is a converted wide receiver who has bulked up and now looks the part of a tight end. He bounced around college quite a bit, and apart from a spectacular season at St. Francis (FCS) in 2019, was not very productive. But his measurables and athleticism have earned him a look in the NFL.
Jenkins has a higher ceiling as a receiver than either Curtis Hodges or Kaden Smith. But the player has to prove he can be a complete performer.
I don’t think he could beat out a player like Smith for the final roster spot right now. Jenkins is a younger player with a higher upside and as such, might be worth the gamble.
Cmmanders could sign Zack Kuntz
Zack Kuntz is a bit of a unicorn. He's 6-foot-8 with a 4.55-second 40-yard dash time. Near-elite numbers in the 20-yard shuttle and broad jump. Solid strength numbers. On paper, this guy is a freak.
On the field, he has not done nearly as well. Kuntz made no impact as a receiver during a few seasons with Penn State, then transitioned to tight end with Old Dominion and had an excellent 2021 campaign. But he only played in five games in 2022 and didn’t do very much.
Still, the Jets ventured a seventh-round pick on him in in the 2023 draft and would like to hold onto him for at least one season on their practice squad to see what he can grow into. If the Commanders aren’t satisfied with what they have after Logan Thomas, John Bates, and Cole Turner, I’d be eager to see him do his growing in D.C.
Commanders could sign an OL from the Bucs
When they won the Super Bowl in 2020, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an excellent offensive line. Since then, retirement and injury have decimated the group. But with a draft pick here and a free agent there – players returning from injury – rebuilding is well underway.
It’s still a fluid situation, but the Bucs head into 2023 with a lot of pretty good players across the protection. The fact that they will be blocking for Baker Mayfield is another story.
At least one of the following should be available for the Washington Commanders after cutdown day.
Commanders could sign Aaron Stinnie
Aaron Stinnie offers a certain amount of experience as a backup interior lineman. Tampa Bay may well keep him around if they don’t have enough confidence in their younger players. If they don’t, he could replicate the kind of insurance Wes Schweitzer provided over the past few seasons.
Hopefully, Sam Cosmi, Chris Paul, and Saahdiq Charles will lock down the middle, but there are questions about all of them. Stinnie is a career backup – and he’s coming off a knee injury – but he could still be a steadying influence.
Commanders could sign Brandon Walton
Whereas Stinnie could do a lot of what Schweitzer could do, Brandon Walton might be able to step into Cornelius Lucas’ shoes and become the swing tackle. He is young and has legitimate tackle size, though he is not nearly as big – few are.
If you watched Tampa Bay's game against the New Jets, you probably wouldn’t touch Walton. He did not look good. But I am willing to write this off as one bad game early in the preseason – at least for now.
I have seen good things from Walton in the past and still believe he can develop. In fact, that bad game might make it more likely he will be available.
Is he better than Trent Scott or any of the young tackles the Commanders have for deep depth? Hard to tell with such limited tape, but he’s worth a look.
Commanders could sign Justin Skule
As is Justin Skule – another young veteran tackle who has shown some flashes of being a quality backup tackle. Barring injuries to starters, both Walton and Skule will not make the Bucs final roster.
It looks like a coin flip right now. I would rather have Skule, who played some quality minutes for the San Francisco 49ers back in 2019-20. But tore his ACL two years ago and has not performed very well since.
It's possible that his leg will be much stronger this season. If so, Skule could be a solid swing tackle – a few years younger than Lucas.
Commanders could sign a LB from the Broncos
The Denver Broncos are coming off a hugely disappointing season, but don’t blame their defense. Until they seemed to call it a day late in the campaign, they boasted one of the better defenses in the league.
Sean Payton has come on board to fix the offense, and he brought back Vance Joseph to run the defense. He figures to maintain Denver’s base 3-4 front, which means they will have a lot of edge rushers and outside linebackers competing for spots. They have some very good players who might not make the cut and could be available for the Washington Commanders.
Commanders could sign Seth Benson
The thing I like about Seth Benson is that he actually is a linebacker. The other players I will discuss are called linebackers, but they aren’t as complete as the undersized former Iowa Hawkeye.
I had high hopes for Commanders undrafted free agent Drew White last season, But he couldn’t stay healthy and was released. Benson is a similar player.
Nothing about him leaps out at you, but he simply makes plays. Benson is very tough in the middle of a scrum and as such, could be exactly what the Commanders are currently lacking – a linebacker who can diagnose running plays and make tackles.
Cody Barton is faster and may develop into this type of player, but right now, David Mayo is the best the Commanders have to offer. Benson can step right into that role.
Commanders could sign Thomas Incoom
The Washington Commanders liked Thomas Incoom enough to schedule an interview with him prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. He was a force at Central Michigan but didn't hear his name called in part because of his size.
Incoom is a bit of a tweener – stuck between a standup outside edge rusher and a defensive end. He has great explosion off the ball, but Washington drafted two other players with those skills in 2023.
For Incoom to make sense for the Commanders, he has to prove his ability as a stand-up linebacker and drop into coverage from time to time. You can never have enough pass rushers and if you watch his college tape, you see a player very good at making plays behind the line.
If Incoom becomes available – and he probably will – I’d like to see him get an audition at linebacker for the Commanders.
Commnaders could sign Christopher Allen or Marcus Haynes
These players are almost identical, and only one of them will make the team. Most people assume it will be Christopher Allen, the very talented edge from Alabama.
He has tremendous athletic gifts but has struggled with injury – including last season. If healthy, Allen could be a dynamic young pass rusher with the skills to play the run and pass from the weak side.
If the Denver Broncos decide Allen’s health is too iffy, they might keep Haynes instead. He was dynamic at Old Dominion. Regardless of which one Denver keeps, the Commanders should snap up the other one.
Putting more high-upside young linebackers with Jamin Davis and Cody Barton would be a major step toward solidifying a potentially excellent defense.