Commanders initial 53-man roster prediction after 2023 preseason finale
By Dean Jones
Commanders TEs (4)
- Logan Thomas, Cole Turner, John Bates. Alex Armah (FB/TE)
Logan Thomas is working his way back to full health and should be ready for Week 1 after missing a large part of summer workouts with a calf issue. The veteran's injury history is chequered in recent years, but the Washington Commanders have seen enough from second-year-pro Cole Turner to suggest he can be impactful in the passing game when called upon in 2023.
Turner's caught the eye in practice and during the preseason, which is extremely encouraging. John Bates is also looking to improve into an all-around force and Alex Armah's versatility means he'll probably be preferred to someone like Curtis Hodges all things considered.
The Commanders need more from their tight ends this season. And if anyone can unlock their true potential, it's Eric Bieniemy.
Commanders OL (9)
- Charles Leno Jr., Nick Gates, Andrew Wylie, Saahdiq Charles, Sam Cosmi, Cornelius Lucas, Ricky Stromberg, Braeden Daniels, Chris Paul.
Ron Rivera stated that there will be fierce discussions about whether to take nine or ten offensive linemen through onto their 53-man roster. One would expect it to be nine unless the coaching staff is convinced that undrafted free agent Mason Brooks can help them move forward.
This is the most contentious position group on the Commanders despite some significant investment this offseason. The revamped starting unit must produce the goods, but there does appear to be more depth thanks to the arrivals of Ricky Stromberg and Braeden Daniels via the 2023 NFL Draft.
Brooks could count himself unfortunate in this scenario. But the NFL is a cutthroat business with no real sentiment attached to building a contender - something the Ole Miss product might find out to his cost.