What is the story about?
Okay,
we know Friday’s final preseason game is going to be a snoozer.
Well, a snoozer for those of us who want to see the starters and will be prohibited from doing so Friday, when the Commanders face the Ravens at 6 p.m. ET.
But the game will be far from a snoozer for the players (and their families) fighting for those final roster spots. Yes, as many as perhaps 45 roster spots are assured. Still, the final eight could actually be decided based upon what a few players can accomplish, or not accomplish, in the preseason finale.
- Quarterback: There’s little doubt that the Commanders entered the preseason thinking they would keep two and place a third on the practice squad. However, perhaps Athan Kaliakmanis will be kept on the 53-man roster, with backup Marcus Mariota spraining an MCL two weeks ago.
- Wide receiver: Jadon Bradley, Nick Nash and Jacoby Jones have looked good, but perhaps every team has two of them? Van Jefferson, Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey mean some difficult decisions. Keep in mind Lane returned two punts for touchdowns, and McCaffrey was second in kickoff returns in 2025. Will those be the contributing factors that keep them on the roster? The biggest question is: will Washington keep six or seven receivers?
- Defensive line: Shy Tuttle, Ricky Barber, Maurice Hurst and Byron Cowart may all be playing for one final spot.
- Linebacker: Ale Kaho, Kain Medrano, Jordan Magee: are they playing for one spot or two?
- Center: Who knows? Perhaps the biggest question here is: will GM Adam Peters grab or trade for another center this weekend?
- Running back: Robert Henry Jr fumbled last week, then again in Wednesday’s scrimmage. But he flashed such ability vs Miami; look for Henry to be brought back to the practice squad.
- Cornerback: Are Fred Davis, Carlin Vigers, Antonio Hamilton, and Darius Rush playing for one spot?
- Safety: Will Harris and Malik Spencer were released this week. Are the Commanders set at safety now?
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: How many roster spots are up for grabs for Commanders?
