Scenarios for every Washington Commanders wide receiver in 2023

Marcus Kemp - Commanders WR

• Height: 6-foot-4

Marcus Kemp was one of the early free-agent signees this off-season. The Washington Commanders lost Cam Sims to free agency, and he would seem to be a virtual carbon copy replacement.

Sims is slightly bigger – Kemp is slightly faster, but physically, they are virtually identical. Kemp has also been an excellent special teams player throughout his career, but unlike Sims, he has never shown much of anything as a receiver.

BEST: Kemp makes the final roster and teams with Jeremy Reaves and Percy Butler to form a formidable kick coverage squad. The Commanders end up with a top-five coverage team league-wide.

WORST: Washington decides that Kemp is a luxury item they cannot afford to keep with so many promising pass catchers in play. He is cut but ends up on the practice squad.

REALISTIC: Kemp’s likelihood of making the roster may depend on who ends up returning punts. If Kazmeir Allen or Dax Milne wins that job, I don’t think Washington keeps a second receiver who is primarily a special teamer.

If the Commanders decide to go with a receiver who will get offensive snaps – Jahan Dotson or Byron Pringle – then there may be room for Kemp. Right now, if I had to bet, I’d say he is headed for the practice squad.

THE REST

Zion Bowers, Jalen Sample, and Brycen Tremayne would not seem to have a chance at the final roster right now. Sample and Tremayne are both very tall receivers, and the latter may have a leg up on the others because he played under Washington’s new quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard at Stanford. That might give him a better shot at the practice squad.

The Commanders look to have the strongest group of receivers it's had in many years with three playmakers at the top, an excellent backup in Pringle, and great potential in Dyami Brown and Mitchell Tinsley.

A lot of their success will be dependent on how well Sam Howell plays, and a lot of that will be dependent on how well the offensive line plays. You can never evaluate receivers in a vacuum.

Still, it’s looking good.