Projecting Washington Commanders 2026 53-Man Team After Preseason

A 38 point loss against the Baltimore Ravens would put the final touches on the Washington Commanders' preseason slate, and with the deadline now looming to trim down to a 53-man roster, we dive into our updated roster projection ahead of the 2026 regular season:

QB (2): Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota

Skinny: the bigger question all offseason has been whether two or three quarterbacks, but with Mariota expected to be healthy for week one to add depth behind Jayden Daniels, two is the number with Athan Kaliakmanis the one sticking on the practice squad. It's clear that the longer the battle has progressed, the more the Rutgers product sticks out, making this less of a hot take.

RB (3): Jacory Croskey-Merrit, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen

Skinny: injuries play a role in only three running backs with Jeremy McNichols also sidelined, leading the team to sign Craig Reynolds through training camp. Croskey-Merritt and White are the tandem expected to be impact pieces in the offense, both on the ground and through the air, while Allen fills in as the short yardage back.

WR (6): Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Williams, Dyami Brown, Jaylin Lane, Treylon Burks

Skinny: Luke McCaffrey was the lone one from the group who played on Friday night with just one catch to show for it, a humbling showing in a potential final audition. Friday's showing dropped the number of wide receivers from seven to six, though whether Washington does ultimately find a trade suitor as some have speculated could be worth tracking.

TE (4): Chig Okonkwo, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff

Skinny: the top of the room is clear with Okonkwo now anchoring the room while Bates returns as the in-line blocker and Sinnott as a secondary receiving threat. Yet with an offense that's expected to feature two tight end sets, coupled with a strong offseason, Yankoff could be another piece in the room.

OL (10): Matt Gulbin, Nick Allegretti, Daniel Brunskill, Max Scharping, Josh Conerly Jr., Brandon Coleman, DJ Humphries, Chris Paul, Andrew Wylie, Sam Cosmi

Skinny: the one position that could see the most movement, the center position remains unsolved. Could Washington make additional roster moves as roster cuts unfold around the league? That's the biggest question that could alter who makes the 53-man roster along the interior OL, while DJ Humphries adds some stability at tackle.

DL (7): Javon Kinlaw, Tim Settle, Daron Payne, Charles Omenihu, Shy Tuttle, Maurice Hurst, Ricky Barber

Skinny: a thin room that is also battling the absence of Johnny Newton, Hurst and Barber are two who flashed at points in training camp and preseason who could add short-term depth along the defensive line.

LB (9): K'Lavon Chaisson, Odafe Oweh, Joshua Josephs, Dorance Armstrong, Frankie Luvu, Sonny Styles, Leo Chenal, Jordan Magee, Javontae Jean-Baptiste

Skinny:

a short-handed unit through the month with both Oweh and Chaisson sidelined for all three games, the inside linebacker room offers arguably as much depth as the edge rushers. One fringe candidate who missed the cut but has made a strong case is inside linebacker Kain Medrano, while head coach Dan Quinn previously pointed to Luvu and Styles as the two 'green dot' linebackers.

CB (5): Trey Amos, Amik Robertson, Rasul Douglas, Mike Sainristil, Fabian Moreau

Skinny: the status of Amos looms largest heading into week one, and after essentially missing all of training camp, it adds a question mark at the position. Not about Amos being on the 53-man roster, but who CB1 is. Douglas could be that piece, Robertson could be the X-factor, Moreau adds the veteran experience while Sainristil is the versatile piece with experience both in the nickel and outside. If Washington opts to roster a sixth, Antonio Hamilton or Darius Rush are candidates to fill that, but that hinges on Amos.

SAF (4): Nick Cross, Tyler Owens, Jeremy Reaves, Quan Martin

Skinny: Washington already made one move at the position after moving on from Will Harris, who took an atrocious angle on the Josh Dobbs 50-yard touchdown run in week two. Owens has stuck out through training camp with his week two hit against Detroit a preseason highlight, while Reaves has cemented a role on special teams. Cross arrives as an upgrade at strong safety with Quan Martin looking to build on interceptions in each of his first two preseason games.

ST (3): Drew Stevens, Tress Way, Tyler Ott

Skinny: another where Washington has already made a roster decision after moving on from Jake Moody, paving the way for UDFA Drew Stevens to be the starting kicker. He joins a grounded rounded out by the longest-tenured Commander in Tress Way alongside Tyler Ott.