Commanders 53-man roster prediction after the 2023 NFL Draft

Commanders safeties (4)

• Kamren Curl, Darrick Forrest, Percy Butler, Jeremy Reaves

This is pretty simple. Kamren Curl and Darrick Forrest are among the best young safey combinations in the league. Percy Butler was not all that good in his rookie year, but he has a world of talent and will be a force on special teams if nothing else. And Jeremy Reaves is the reigning All-Pro special teamer in the NFC.

He is a serviceable backup on defense as well. Undrafted free agent Xavier Henderson has an outside chance of sticking, though it would probably require an injury to one of the players ahead of him. He is a steady, experienced college player who will not be overmatched by the complexity of the NFL.

Commanders specialists (3)

·        Joey Slye (kicker), Tress Way (punter), Camaron Cheeseman (long snapper)

One of these years, the Washington Commanders will have to move on from Tress Way, who turned 33 years old last month. But that will not be this year.

Camaron Cheeseman should be the long-snapper for the next decade. He is young and dependable, and those guys hardly ever move on.

At kicker, I would expect Washington to bring in some competition for the talented but inconsistent Joey Slye. Three veterans may be on the market this summer. Mason Crosby, Nick Folk, and Robbie Gould all played for teams last year that drafted kickers in 2023.

That doesn’t ensure they will be released, but it seems likely. All are at least 38 years old, and I don’t expect the Commanders to give them a look unless the situation grows desperate.

There are always some talented young kickers floating around. The trick is finding them at the right point. Often, a kicker needs some time to learn how to handle the pressures of the NFL.

If the Commanders are looking to roll the dice on a high-upside prospect, I’d love to see Brandon Aubrey get a shot in training camp. He played professional soccer until very recently and has looked pretty good as the kicker for the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions this season.

Quinn Nordin, a talented young kicker who largely flamed out in a brief stint with the New England Patriots last year, might be a more traditional choice. If no one can beat out Slye, so be it. But there should be some competition.