The Washington Commanders
have less than a week to trim their roster from 90 to 53 players. The Commanders made one tough decision on Tuesday, releasing former starting safety Will Harris. Once it became clear that Washington wasn’t keeping Harris, the team wanted to do right by him and give him a head start on finding a new team before hundreds of players hit free agency at the same time on Sunday.With Harris off the bubble and no longer on the roster, which Washington players need to shine during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Ravens, followed by Friday’s preseason finale?
Here are five players to watch in Wednesday’s joint practice with Baltimore:
RB Robert Henry Jr.
With Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols battling injuries and Jerome Ford already
gone, Henry has another chance to shine. After an impressive preseason opener against the Dolphins, Henry crashed back down to earth last week. As of now, Henry probably hasn’t done quite enough to earn a spot on the 53. He must make it hard for the Commanders to cut him. He’ll likely split time with Rachaad White and fellow rookie Kaytron Allen. Henry needs to make the most out of every touch.
C Matt Gulbin
Last week, head coach Dan Quinn said he wanted to see the rookie sixth-round pick get more work at guard after an impressive first performance. Quinn said that because whoever makes the roster as a backup offensive lineman must be able to play multiple spots. However, after seeing Julian Good-Jones’ struggles last week in place of Nick Allegretti, Gulbin should handle every rep, regardless of who is playing quarterback. Gulbin got more work with starter Jayden Daniels during Tuesday’s practice, and that should be the case on Wednesday.
WR Antonio Williams
Williams performed well against the Lions. His catch across the middle showed his potential. He has great hands, runs terrific routes, and gets an excellent release off the line of scrimmage. We’d like to see Williams work with Washington’s starters, which means being on the field with Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, and Daniels, and facing Baltimore’s first-team defense. This will be a great evaluation tool for Williams.
DT Ricky Barber Jr.
Johnny Newton’s injury created an opening for Ricky Barber Jr. While many believe veteran Shy Tuttle could win the last defensive tackle spot, Barber is having a strong camp. The second-year former UDFA has flashed in each game. He needs more reps against starters to gauge his progress. The joint practice would allow defensive coordinator Daronte Jones to see Barber against stiffer competition.
CB Fabian Moreau
We’ve mostly stuck with the theme of younger players. However, due to Washington’s concerns at cornerback, Moreau stands a good chance of making the Commanders’ roster. With Trey Amos still sidelined, Washington’s top four corners are Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson, Rasul Douglas and Moreau. The Amos injury almost assures that the Commanders will keep five cornerbacks. Moreau has played a lot of football, including for Jones, but the Commanders need to test him against another team.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 5 players to watch for Commanders in joint practice vs. Ravens
