The Washington Commanders cut fifth-round pick Dominique Hampton last year when he wasn't meeting the required standards. Another Day 3 selection could be in for a similar fate after blowing his final audition.
General manager Adam Peters bet on Kain Medrano's upside at No. 205 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. His exceptional display of athletic prowess at the NFL Scouting Combine, coupled with his previous connection to linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. from their time together at UCLA, was enough to take the plunge. Unfortunately, their faith has not been repaid.
Medrano was lackluster at best during Washington's embarrassing preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens. And with his roster hopes hanging in the balance, this could have a big say on whether he stays or goes.
Kain Medrano's preseason dud puts Commanders' roster hopes in jeopardy
There was real hesitancy around Medrano's performance. He didn't trust his eyes, and his positional sense was flawed. Having athleticism counts for nothing if you cannot put yourself in the best position to make plays, and the second-year pro found that out to his cost.
The Commanders have no room for passengers. Nobody lower down the pecking order improved their chances against the Ravens, so there are some critical decisions awaiting Peters and head coach Dan Quinn before the final cut deadline.
And make no mistake; Medrano has an anxious wait before his fate is sealed one way or another.
Much will depend on how many linebackers the Commanders take through. Sonny Styles, Frankie Luvu, and Leo Chenal will lead the charge. If Jordan Magee is healthy, he should make the team as well. Just where that leaves Medrano is anyone's guess, but that might be all Daronte Jones needs for his new 3-4 base system.
Special teams is the only way Kain Medrano will make Commanders' roster
There is one way Medrano can hold his spot.
Special teams.
With Nick Bellore bringing his 15-year career to an end before training camp, there is an opening for someone to become Washington's special-teams alpha. Medrano has the instincts and dynamism to potentially fill the void, but others could as well if Peters decides it would be a waste of a roster spot.
It's an interesting scenario for Peters to figure out. They believed in Medrano enough to draft him, but everyone has a cut-off point. And the lower down the draft you're selected, the tighter the leash becomes if improvements don't arrive.
If Peters doesn't think Medrano is making enough progress, he won't hesitate to remove him from the equation.
In this scenario, bringing Medrano back onto the practice squad seems feasible if he clears waivers. That would allow the second-level player to continue his development while also freeing up a roster spot for someone else. And if the desired strides arrive, maybe he can get a couple of call-ups to the game-day roster.
It's not ideal. But this also wouldn't be a problem if Medrano had shown enough this summer.
Aside from a few flashes, that hasn't been the case. And don't be surprised if the Commanders cut this experiment short in the coming hours.
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