Commanders Notes: Availability vs. Lions, Roster Moves, DT Praise

The Washington Commanders returned to the practice field on Tuesday with the team in shells, not full pads, ahead of Saturday's road game against the Detroit Lions. Notes ahead of week two of preseason:

Undecided on Starters for Saturday

Head coach Dan Quinn previously noted that a decision on who will play in this weekend's road game against the Detroit Lions has yet to be finalized, a message he reiterated again on Tuesday.

The Commanders saw over two dozen starters sit on Friday with the bulk due to rest, but there's a chance that number dwindles on Saturday afternoon. The chance to briefly see quarterback Jayden Daniels on Saturday alongside a handful of other key pieces remains at least one the table.

Roster Moves

The Commanders announced several roster moves ahead of Tuesday's practice. In addition to signing running back Craig Reynolds and linebacker Krys Barnes, the team also announced the signing of defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II and tight end Tre McKitty.

Hurst has spent the last three seasons with the Cleveland Browns where he has registered 39 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks in two starts and 23 appearances. That production came after he missed the 2022 season due to a torn bicep, while he previously spent three seasons with the Raiders before moving on to the San Francisco 49ers in 2021.

McKitty, 27, last played in the NFL back in 2023 after spending three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers where he totaled 117 receiving yards on 16 catches in 12 starts and 34 total appearances.

The Commanders also announced that a second specialist was released with Matt Haack an available free agent once again after filling the temporary void with Tress Way previously sidelined. The news was announced along with the departure of Jake Moody, paving the way for UDFA signing Drew Stevens to become the starting kicker in 2026.

Washington also announced that wide receiver River Cracraft and running back Jerome Ford were both placed on the reserve/ injured list ahead of Tuesday's practice. Ford suffered a hamstring injury during Friday's win, opening up the door for Robert Henry Jr. to make noise through the rest of preseason.

First Position Battle Winner

Monday's release of Jake Moody cemented the Commanders are set to move forward with undrafted rookie free agent Drew Stevens as the starter during the 2026. It may have been a move that may have materialized earlier than expected but one that head coach Dan Quinn recognized early after noting Stevens "established himself" after kicking it "pure and clean" through the offseason into the first week of preseason.

"It is important for him to have the next two games where he gets all the kicks, all the moments," Quinn said.

Injury Updates

As expected, the Commanders saw a pair of pieces return to the practice field as center Nick Allegretti and tight end John Bates made their way back to practice. Allegretti revealed later in the day that he was on a snap count in his first practice after taking around 15 reps on Tuesday with hopes of bumping that to 20-to-25 on Wednesday.

Yet Tuesday was also met with a handful of absences with outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson, Odafe Oweh inside linebacker Jordan Magee and defensive tackle Johnny Newton sidelined. All four were absent due to injuries with the team not required to disclose preseason injuries, though Newton and Magee were in action on Friday night.

Underrated Interior DL Draws Praise

The interior defensive line has several pieces looking to stick out under new coordinator Daronte Jones, but the early defensive standout from Friday's win was defensive tackle Ricky Barber. The former UDFA from last year's class finished with a team-high five total tackles in the win, production he registered through the first half of the game, in addition to recording the Commanders' lone sack. Head coach Dan Quinn previously praised Shy Tuttle, who finished with three tackles and one TFL vs. Miami, as a piece that has caught his eye, but Barber's usage as a three-tech has allowed him to "penetrate and use some of his quickness" to generate enough pressure that caught Quinn's eye.