Will Harris' Commanders roster case is falling apart at the worst time

The Washington Commanders have some big decisions to make heading into final cuts. And among the most intriguing is the looming choice at safety for general manager Adam Peters, head coach Dan Quinn, and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones to figure out.

After another less-than-stellar outing in Washington's preseason loss to the Detroit Lions, safety Will Harris' time with the club could be more precarious than ever.

Harris signed a two-year deal with the Commanders in free agency last week. He was the man tasked with filling the void left by Jeremy Chinn, who left for the Las Vegas Raiders. An early injury didn't help, and the veteran was unable to perform at the level expected upon his return to the lineup.

Will Harris is getting outperformed by other Commanders safeties in preseason

The Commanders gave Harris the benefit of the doubt this offseason. Very few changes were made to the safety unit, with the presence of Jones expected to bring more out of the options available.

For some, it's had the desired effect.

But for Harris, the jury is still out.

The former Boston College standout was among the overlooked players at fault for misreading Lions quarterback Joshua Dobbs en route to a 50-yard touchdown run. Attention may have gone to others for blame, but the coaching staff won't be so lenient upon further examination of the game film.

Jones is clearly making better use of Tyler Owens' elite-level athletic traits, and Quan Martin is making plays. Free-agent signing Nick Cross and Jeremy Reaves are locks. Percy Butler brings decent special-teams value.

Harris is going the other way, which could mean his roster spot is less assured than some envisaged before preparations for the new campaign began.

Will Harris' roster hopes will become clearer in Commanders' preseason finale

Quinn values experience. It's a big year for the Commanders, so veteran leadership will be critical to weather the storm. At the same time, this is a new era, and anyone not pulling their weight won't be taken on past reputations alone.

It would be surprising to see Harris' name not on the 53-man squad. But the final preseason game will tell fans all they need to know.

If Harris isn't involved against the Baltimore Ravens, or sees just a handful of snaps to start the game, his place on the team is all but assured. But if he is playing deep into the second half, the 2019 third-round pick has a big problem on his hands.

And that could be the most damning indictment of all.

Should Harris be deemed surplus to requirements, the Commanders would save $3.76 million on their salary cap, with $1 million in dead money. They don't exactly need the cash with $37.67 million in available resources as things stand, but every little helps.

Harris' situation is unclear. Others have clearly outperformed him so far; there is just no disputing that. Even if the Commanders give him a reprieve, his role on the defensive rotation could end up being minimal when it comes to the crunch.

It'll be interesting to see which direction the Commanders take with Harris, but this preseason showing versus the team that drafted him is one he'll want to forget in a hurry.

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