Commanders 53-man 2024 roster projection: Preseason clues edition

From the moment the wretched 2023 season ended, it was apparent that the 2024 Washington Commanders roster would look unrecognizable this time around. The poor results were the most obvious reason, but wholesale changes at every level of management ensured massive turnover.

Adam Peters, Dan Quinn, and the majority of the coaching staff had nothing to do with assembling last year’s roster. They have no preconceptions or sense of loyalty to any of the returning players. Everyone from first-round draft picks to lowly undrafted free agents would be starting on equal footing.

This roster projection reflects that massive turnover. Out of the 53 players projected to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31 of them are new to the franchise. That’s nearly 60 percent of the entire roster.

Some are 2024 draft picks and high-profile free-agent signings. Others are undrafted free agents and veteran castoffs from other clubs. Quinn and his staff will be faced with the challenge of quickly molding all these new players into a cohesive unit. There will be hiccups along the way, but if everything breaks right, the Commanders should be a far more competitive team than the one we saw last year.

A lot has changed since the start of Washington's early offseason activities. Some players that seemed like locks have slipped back while other longshots have made strong cases for themselves.

The Commanders still have 90 players on its active roster, with one other currently on the physically unable to perform list. That number needs to be trimmed to 53 by Tuesday, August 27, just one week away. Up to 16 of the players who are cut can be re-signed to the practice squad.

Let’s make our best guesses as to who will be on that final 53-man roster.

Commanders 53-man roster projection after training camp

Commanders special teams (3)

• Tress Way (P), Tyler Ott (LS), Greg Joseph/Anders Carlson (K)

The Washington Commanders do not have a second punter or a second long snapper in camp. The jobs belong to Tress Way and Tyler Ott. It is a very different story at the kicking position.

Riley Patterson has not been good. He missed two kicks - one hooked left, the other pushed right - against the Miami Dolphins in Preseason Week 2. He is not especially long. If the veteran is not going to be accurate, there is no reason to keep him around.

I have been pushing for Andre Szmyt, but so far, Adam Peters has not listened to me. So now I am going to read my crystal ball and say that the Commanders' kicker this season will be … Greg Joseph or Anders Carlson - whichever one loses out on the kicker job with the Green Bay Packers.

Commanders safeties (5)

• Jeremy Chinn, Quan Martin, Darrick Forrest, Tyler Owens, Percy Butler

Jeremy Chinn and Quan Martin will start. Darrick Forrest may have lost his free safety starting job, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a valuable chess piece for Joe Whitt Jr. Tyler Owens has been a revelation. He has had one of the best camps of any player and seems to have forced himself onto the team.

On the other hand, draft pick Dominique Hampton has been very quiet. He might be the only 2024 draft pick who does not make the roster. He should develop for a year on the practice squad.

Percy Butler and Jeremy Reaves may be competing for a single spot, and it may come down to special teams. Reaves would seem to have an edge there, but I suspect Dan Quinn would prefer to go with the younger Butler.

He would appear to have more natural talent than Reaves. Under the previous coaching staff, that talent was never unlocked. Whitt has the credentials to get more from him.