Reviewing the roster limit
As you are probably aware, the NFL CBA allows each team to have 90 players on its offseason roster, but it also makes provisions for a 91st player who joins the team via the International Player Pathway
(IPP) program. For the last several years, the Commanders have made use of this IPP exemption, as they have again this season, so Washington’s offseason roster limit is once again 91 players.Washington’s 91st player via the IPP is currently edge rusher TJ Maguranyanga, who spent the 2025 season with
the Commanders as well.
An unanswered question
As the Commanders head into training camp, with rookies reporting to camp Friday (July 24) and veterans reporting on Tuesday, there is at least one outstanding roster question to be resolved. It was recently and widely reported by sports media that Washington had signed veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas. This signing was also reported by the team, but the Commanders website hasn’t added the cornerback’s name to the roster page.
- Without Douglas’ name on the roster, Washington’s team site lists 91 players.
- Our Lads does have Douglas included on their depth chart, but it lists 92 players.
- The signing of Douglas appears on the official NFL transactions list on July 6, but there is no corresponding roster move to make space for him on the roster.
Right now, without more information, it looks like the Commanders have 92 players, which is one player too many.
It appears as if another transaction will need to happen (or be announced) soon to keep the Commanders in compliance with the 91-man training camp roster limit. That transaction could be the release of a player, but it could also result from a player being placed on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list or other reserve list that removes him, usually temporarily, from being counted against the roster limit. I expect that roster transaction to be announced by Tuesday.
In the meantime, since I don’t know what the team will do to create the roster opening, I’m presenting a 92-man depth chart here. So, before this article was even published, it was out of date — someone on the chart below will not be a full participant in next week’s training camp, and may not be on the roster this time next week.
Changes since the last iteration of the depth chart
Since the last time I published a depth chart article, there have been just a few changes:
- WR Ja’Corey Brooks was cut
- TE Anthony Firsker was signed
Also, as mentioned above, CB Rasul Douglas has reportedly agreed to terms with the team, but no corresponding roster move to open a roster spot for him has been announced, nor does the NFL transaction wire list any such transaction. As a result, we should expect at least one more roster transaction in the coming days.
Not your typical depth chart
The chart below is only a depth chart insofar as it assigns players to positions and stacks them in an order.
The primary purpose of the chart is to keep track of the 92 guys that currently comprise the training camp roster, not to predict gameday alignments.
You will note, for example, that I have 12 offensive positions and 13 defensive positions on the chart, despite the fact that a team can only field 11 players at one time.
You will also note that each player’s name appears only once regardless of the fact that he may play in multiple alignments or positions (e.g., an interior offensive lineman who can play center and both guard spots will appear at only one of those positions, not all of them). Again, this is by design since the goal is to provide handy visual reference of the 92 individual players while also offering an overall snapshot of team strength and depth. The bias, though, is to provide a visual list of the full roster, not so much to create a game-ready depth chart.
Finally, you will also note that, where players are capable of playing more than one position (and likely to do so on game days), my decision on where to align them may be very different from your idea of where they belong.
Here are comments on a couple of players who may seem misaligned to you:
Antonio Williams
I don’t think any informed fan will argue against the idea that this year’s third-round draft pick will play both inside (slot) and outside on offense. Because he played primarily in the slot in his final year at Clemson in 2025, many people insist that he will be Washington’s primary slot receiver in 2026.
I have repeatedly pointed to Adam Peters’ comments all offseason about Williams’ play outside in 2024 and his abilities as a wideout as one reason for my belief that the Clemson product is seen by the Commanders front office and coaching staff as a solution to the seeming need for a receiver to play opposite McLaurin. In addition, the team already has Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane — a pair of recently drafted players with inside/outside skills — available for the slot.
Further, we have heard multiple indications that the Commanders will play more 12 and 13 personnel this season, which would take one WR off the field. When that happens, I expect McLaurin and Williams to be the first choice to remain on the field in multiple tight end sets, most likely boosting the number of snaps Williams lines up on the outside.
In my mind, all of this adds up to Williams aligning wide more than in the slot — which, by the way, would be consistent with the Lions’ use of Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is a frequent comp for Washington’s plans for AW:
For all these reasons, I have listed Williams on the chart as the primary receiver opposite McLaurin. My chart would change in an instant if, for example, the team signed Stefon Diggs on Monday.
Mike Sainristil
I don’t think all the questions about the cornerback room are settled. I don’t think we know if Trey Amos is fully healthy. I don’t think we know whether Rasul Douglas was signed in the expectation of him starting or simply providing depth. I don’t think we know whether Mike Sainristil will end up as a starter or a backup, or whether he will align primarily as a wide corner or slot defender.
In a manner similar to the increased use of tight ends on offense, the expected increase in three-safety looks on defense this season could lead to more alignments with only two 2 cornerbacks on the field instead of traditional nickel schemes.
I have chosen, in the chart below, to assume that Amos will be healthy, that Douglas will be the primary CB on the opposite side, and that Sainristil will be the primary backup at both slot and out wide. I have listed him behind Amik Robertson on the chart.
Of course, training camp and preseason could totally rewrite my ideas about how the secondary will be deployed.
Consider these thoughts, published by A to Z Sports earlier this week:
There are rumblings that the Commanders want to move Quan Martin into the primary nickel role, and honestly, that doesn’t make much sense to me. The majority of the safeties on the roster lack range, and Amik Robinson is a perfectly capable inside player. If Martin does slide to nickel, that leaves two cornerbacks under 5-foot-10 starting on the outside in both [Robertson] and Sainristill.
And while both guys have shown they can play bigger than their body size, you don’t want your starting outside corners to both be under 5-foot-11. The Commanders could easily make a big mistake here and set themselves up in a bad spot by not only depriving themselves of their most capable centerfielder, but exposing the perimeter, as well.
The updated offseason roster/depth chart
- Veteran free agents – pink
- Draft picks – yellow
- Undrafted college free agents – blue
- International Player Pathway Program – grey
NOTES: The numbers that appear beside some players’ names are 2026 cap hits per Over the Cap. I have not included cap hits below $1.5m.
The Commanders currently have 45 defensive players, 43 offensive players and 4 special teams players.
Please note that assigned positions are my own personal opinions; they do not necessarily represent the thinking of Washington’s coaches or front office, nor are they necessarily consistent with fan consensus or the thoughts of other writers on Hogs Haven. Finally, when it comes to backup players, I don’t put much effort into making sure that they are on the right or left or behind the specific player that they backup. I mostly just try to fit everyone on the chart efficiently.
It’s also probably worth noting that my goal is primarily to illustrate the full offseason roster, not to create a conventional depth chart. I have, for example, 12 positions on offense and 13 on defense. Readers can project 11 or 12 personnel (or whatever else) on offense, as well as multiple defensive alignments.
Running back
The running back position group should offer fascinating camp competition this year with sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen and last year’s seventh-round pick, Bill Croskey-Merritt, appearing to be the top two battlers for the starting role, with veteran free agent Rachaad White seemingly starting out ahead of Jeremy McNichols as the primary third-down back — though White may also challenge for a lot of first- and second-down work as well. Veteran free agent Jerome Ford and UDFA Robert Henry round out a six-man group with limited name recognition or star power — a group of which an argument can be made for each of the six backs to make the 53-man roster.
DL/EDGE
Washington entered the 2025 season with the most questions at the defensive end position. Along with a new defensive coordinator and an expected shift to more 3-man fronts, the Commanders have substantially re-tooled the defensive line and edge positions. While some familiar names remain, many of the players on the defensive line are new, and the way they will be deployed is likely to be very different from what Commanders fans saw under former coordinator Joe Whitt.
Linebacker
I have three inside linebackers positions shown. Of course, in 3-4 alignments which are expected to predominate this season, only 2 inside linebackers would be on the field though a recent article by Mark Bullock about safety use adds nuance to how the inside may be used.
In my mind, rookie Sonny Styles and veteran free agent Leo Chenal are the starters, but I have listed Frankie Luvu as the top choice for LB3. In reality, I think he will back up Chenal at inside linebacker and be used as an occasional blitzer/pass rusher and rotational player in 2026.
In any event, a lot of the fun between now and the start of the season will come from watching the training camp battles that will answer most of the current roster questions.
