Third-year wide receiver Luke McCaffrey got a spot on the Washington Commanders' 53-man roster despite being on the field for the team's preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens. It could have gone either way, but his special teams prowess in the return game was likely the deciding factor.
And this move also got a big-time seal of approval from an unlikely source.
It remains an uncertain time for McCaffrey as he enters Year 3 of his professional career. The receiver had talent coming out of college, but he was also a work in progress.
Steve Smith Sr. knows precisely why Commanders couldn't cut Luke McCaffrey
He could be lower down the pecking order than ever after the arrivals of Stefon Diggs, Dyami Brown, and third-round rookie Antonio Williams. Even so, Peters just couldn't cut him loose, opting to part ways with veteran free agent signing Van Jefferson Jr. instead.
Prolific former wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. outlined precisely why, giving McCaffrey so much-needed validation after another uncertain summer.
Smith, who is unfortunate not to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame yet, provided the perfect depiction of McCaffrey and why the Commanders value him highly. The Rice product is unafraid to do the dirty work. He's a special-teams presence, and his football IQ sets him apart.
This sort of player is worth keeping around.
"You can't shake him. Plays on special teams. He'll return kicks. He'll go down there and make a tackle. He's a guy; the more you can do, the more you have an opportunity to make this team, and that's exactly what Luke McCaffrey does. Helluva high IQ. He knows how to play football. He knows exactly what's expected of him."
Just what role McCaffrey has this season is undetermined.
Luke McCaffrey's role remains unclear despite Commanders reprieve
He'll probably be the starting kick returner, and McCaffrey was on a potential Pro Bowl trajectory in this discipline last season before breaking his collarbone. But in terms of increased targets as part of the offensive rotation, they might be in short supply.
Terry McLaurin and Diggs are the top dogs. Williams will have a part to play. Brown, Treylon Burks, and Jaylin Lane are also competing for playing time, so the task facing McCaffrey is steep.
But the coaching staff still believes. That much is painfully obvious.
McCaffrey is a talented player. He knows how to get open, and he is a threat after the catch. Finding the consistency required is the next step, and working within offensive coordinator David Blough's scheme appears well suited to his skill set.
The Commanders are giving him another shot. Things will be tougher; that's no longer debatable. But this vote of confidence might be the spark that finally sees McCaffrey put everything together.
Smith's praise for McCaffrey was high, and it's a sentiment that is probably echoed in the building. But what comes next is hanging in the balance.
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