Tuesday was cut-down day across the NFL, with teams having to trim their rosters down to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET. For the Commanders, there’s still plenty of work to do despite trimming the roster down to 53 players. In all the madness of cut-down day, the Commanders begin the regular season in 12 days with a game against the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay, a playoff team in 2023. Even though the roster has been trimmed down to 53 players, there will still be plenty of changes between now and the start of the regular season.
What did the Commanders IMMEDIATELY notice on cut day? General Manager Adam Peters and Head Coach Dan Quinn are eager to make their mark on this roster. Washington drafted 33 players from 2020-2023 under former Head Coach Ron Rivera, and only 12 remain on the roster. To take it a step further, last year the Commanders drafted seven players. Only defensive backs Emmanuel Forbes (drafted in the 1st round) and Quan Martin (drafted in the 2nd round) remain. When you win 4 games and EARN the 2nd overall pick in the draft, change is needed. The good news for Washington is that they are second in the waiver claim order, giving them high priority over players being waivered across the league.
My thoughts on @Commanders FIRST squad: 53 men
•Trent Scott is the only surprise for me in the offensive line opposite Braden Daniels 🏈
•WR & CB WILL BE PROCESSED WITH WAIVER WIRE 🏈
•Javonte Jean-Baptist instead of KJ Henry shouldn’t be a HUGE surprise after further review 🏈@mymcmedia pic.twitter.com/iHDgs4rP69
— Lynnell Willingham (@Nell_BTP) 27 August 2024
Key observations from the initial 53-man squad
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Washington has 6 wide receivers. The other 5 wide receivers behind Terry McLaurin are past their prime or relatively unproven. I fully expect Washington to aggressively look to add new talent to this unit. Let’s be honest: If McLaurin gets hurt, I think Washington automatically has the worst wide receiver group in the NFL. Buckle up, the wide receiver position is just getting started. \
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Washington opted to keep 9 offensive linemen in total, including veteran offensive tackle Trent Scott instead of second-year tackle Braeden Daniels. Both have had their ups and downs, but I think it’s pretty clear that Daniels is a better football player than Scott right now. Combine that with his younger age and greater upside, and I was amazed when things turned out the way they did.
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Washington currently has just 4 cornerbacks on their 53-man roster. I’m almost certain that won’t be the case come Week 1. As we mentioned, the team has allowed the second-most passing touchdowns in NFL history in 2023, making cornerback a natural area of concern. The depth of this group is currently patchy at best and the same can be said about the projected starters. One way to improve the secondary is to sign players via the waiver list, which they’re sure to do. The other way is to move rookie cornerback Mike Sainristill from inside cornerback to outside cornerback. It’s been obvious since camp began that Sainristill is already the team’s best cornerback. The question is does this coaching staff have enough confidence in him to succeed on the outside as well. My answer would be yes, unless you can bring in reinforcements.
THE BIGGEST SURPRISE ON CUT DAY
The Commanders opted to keep SEVEN safeties in the starting 53, including both former fifth-round pick Darrick Forrest and veteran special teams ace Jeremy Reeves. Many thought both guys would be fighting for a spot on the safety roster heading into Sunday’s season finale, but they both played well and made it happen.
BIGGEST NEEDS AFTER CUT-DOWN DAY
Cornerback, wide receiver and center
Players released by other teams that the commanders may be interested in:
WR Noah Brown
OL Shane Lemieux
CB Eric Scott Jr.
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
WR Russell Gage
WR Terrance Marshall
Linebacker Damian Wilson
CB Natrone Brooks
OL Trey Hill
G Royce Newman
DT Neville Gallimore
OL Brett Toth
CB Samuel Womack III
