The Washington Commanders have several roster concerns to address throughout training camp. General manager Adam Peters raised the urgency for almost everyone this offseason, and the positive response to early offseason workouts gave fans plenty of reasons for encouragement.
The roster is deeper. The roster looks stronger. Good players will no doubt be released, and some tough decisions are upcoming.
But for one overlooked veteran, cutting him is starting to look like a genuine risk.
There was a lot to unpack during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. There were new schemes on offense and defense. There were a plethora of free-agent signings, draft picks, and undrafted free agents looking to stake a claim. There were also re-signings looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw the Commanders plunge back to irrelevancy one year removed from the NFC Championship game.
Deatrich Wise Jr.'s experience and versatility can help the Commanders' defensive depth
Deatrich Wise Jr. is among them.
The defensive lineman signed a one-year deal last year, and he earned a starting job on the edge. Wise may lack pass-rushing explosiveness, but his ability to make plays against the run left everyone hopeful regarding his outlook.
Unfortunately, this was short-lived. Wise suffered a season-ending quad injury in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers and wasn't seen again. Some thought this would be the end of his brief time in Washington, but Peters gave him another shot.
Wise signed a one-year deal again. But this time, his starting position is all but gone. And in all honesty, making the 53-man roster should be his primary objective above all else.
The Commanders made some hefty defensive investments at all three levels. Their edge rushing room looks much stronger now, and Daronte Jones' projected switch to a 3-4 base front should make this an aggressive, creative unit.
That could leave Wise on the outside looking in. At the same time, he's got the experience and versatility to be a useful depth piece with a strong training camp.
Wise has the size to operate as a 3-4 outside linebacker or a 3-4 defensive end. His strength, especially against the run, could help fill the void if injury strikes. The 2017 fourth-round pick out of Arkansas also has some experience as a special-teamer throughout his career, which is essential for anyone a little lower down the depth chart.
It'll be interesting to see the fight for supremacy unfold. The Commanders had to revamp their defense, and Peters did so successfully. Wise got a reprieve, but that counts for nothing if he cannot stick around.
The onus is on him. However, there would no doubt be a few suitors if Washington removed him in favor of others when final cuts are due.
This could go either way. But even amid Washington's youth movement, someone with Wise's knowledge and leadership will be vital.
He just has to prove it.
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