Lots of changes since the start of training camp
Since the start of training camp there have been a number of changes to the roster
Additions
- WR Byron Pringle re-signed
- K Riley Patterson picked up from waivers
- DT Taylor Stallworth signed
- Center J.C. Hassenauer signed
- RT Alex Taylor signed
Subtractions
- WR Damiere Byrd (remains a free agent)
- WR Dax Milne (signed by Raiders)
- CB Christian Holmes waived (claimed by Giants)
- TE Armani Rogers waived (claimed by Eagles)
- OT Alex Alingbulu waived with injury designation (reverted to Commanders IR)
This isn’t the same as the recent team unofficial depth chart
The Commanders released an unofficial depth chart on Tuesday ahead of the Jets game, as required by league policy. If you compare my depth chart below to the one produced by the team, you’ll see many differences.
Why didn’t I just copy the team’s chart or abandon the business of creating my own in favor of the one that the team produced? Well, the team depth chart is created for many purposes; one of them seems to be to obfuscate so as to either incentivize (or not de-incentivize) players on the roster. The team’s preseason depth chart is useful to some degree, but anyone who relies on it as a perfect guide to the state of the roster would be misled to some degree.
My chief exhibit would be the tight end position as listed on the team’s depth chart, which was publicized on Tuesday. It listed Armani Rogers ahead of Colson Yankoff, yet, just hours later, Rogers was cut; Yankoff was not.
In fact, in the hours after the team publicized the pre-game depth chart, it waived two players listed on the chart and signed another who is not listed, making the team depth chart outdated before dinnertime on the same day it was given to reporters.
My second exhibit would be the fact that the team listed 24 starters — 12 on offense and 12 on defense. Clearly, this is a bit of a break with tradition in which teams identify 11 starters on each side of the ball. One thing I’ve been surprised about over the years is that no one has ever complained about the fact that I usually list 24 starters on my depth charts as well (and my depth chart in this article does it again). The Commanders and I even ‘cheat’ at the same positions (for example, we each list 3 WRs, 2 RBs and 1 TE even though that’s not a legal formation).
The team’s depth chart also had the curious feature of listing Dante Fowler as an outside linebacker in what appears to be a chart for a 4-3 base defense (it has 3 LBs, 3 CBs, 2 safeties). Dante Fowler is a rotational pass rushing DE. Having him listed at OLB along with (and ahead of) Jamin Davis may be a way of filling in the depth chart 4-3 template in a fashion that communicates something without making it clear exactly what is being communicated. Perhaps it’s intended to reflect that the base defense is more likely to utilize 2 off-the-ball linebackers, so the third LB spot on the depth chart template was used for something else.
All that said, I did reference the team’s chart in deciding on where to position certain players on my own chart below. When I didn’t have any particularly strong opinion about a player or position, I followed the team’s chart, but — if you compare them — you will still find several differences between the team’s chart and my own.
UPDATED DEPTH CHART
The numbers that appear beside some players’ names are 2024 cap hits per Over the Cap.
Please note that assigned positions and color coding are my own personal opinions. They do not necessarily represent the thinking of Washington’s coaches or front office, nor are they necessarily consistent with fan consensus. This chart represents my personal interpretation, and may not reflect the thoughts of other writers on Hogs Haven. Finally, when it comes to backup players, I don’t put much effort into making sure that they are on the right or left or behind the specific player that they backup. I mostly just try to fit everyone on the chart efficiently.
Some notes on players/positions
Center
I have always thought the Michael Deiter signing was a fairly weak one this offseason. I have put the new guy, J.C. Hassenauer ahead of Deiter on this depth chart, and I expect Hassnauer to be the primary backup to Biadasz when the 53-man roster is formed. With 3 centers already on the roster, there was no reason to sign another unless he was seen as an upgrade to those already available.
Career PFF Grades for Hassenaur and Deiter
I think Stromberg and Deiter will both be on the bubble; each should have a chance to make the squad as an all-purpose C/G backup or to end up on the practice squad.
Wide receiver
I continue to believe that Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson will be the starting wideouts. I think that rookie 3rd round pick Luke McCaffrey is safe, whether he makes the team as a starter or backup, with the latter seeming more likely at the moment. I continue to think that the 4th roster ‘lock’ is Olamide Zaccheaus, who can play both slot and ‘z’ receiver.
If there are two more receivers, I think that one or both will make the team based on the ability to return kickoffs and/or punts. This seems to give Crowder an edge based on reports from camp and the team’s depth chart, though I wouldn’t be surprised to see the coaches turn to a younger player. Additionally, I believe Brycen Tremayne may have an advantage at the final receiver spot because of his size — he’s listed at 6’4”, 212 pounds — since Luke McCaffrey, at 6’2”, is the only other receiver on the roster over 6’1”.
Running Back
I think the team used its own depth chart to ‘hide’ its roster thinking at the RB position. It clearly lists the two main backs as Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler. The “3rd-string” backs are listed as Michael Wiley and Austin Jones, but Wiley is a 3rd-down back, and should be listed as Ekeler’s backup; the Commanders’ depth chart lists him as Robinson’s backup.
I think they did this to obfuscate the competition between Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez, each of whom is listed as a primary backup on the team’s depth chart, but they are likely in competition with one another as the #3 back on a roster where it’s very possible that only 3 running backs make the team’s final roster. On my chart above, I have Rodriguez ahead of McNichols, but reading and listening to a lot of camp reports makes me think that McNichols may actually be ahead of Rodriquez going into the Jets game.
Efe Obada
If healthy, I think Obada would make the initial 53-man roster. He is a reliable and experienced DL who is able to line up in multiple positions. He has not been healthy so far in camp, however, and I now expect that he will open up the season on the PUP list, which would mean that he would miss at least the first 4 games.
Kicker
Like many observers, I suspect that the guy who will be kicking for the Commanders against the Buccaneers in Week 1 may not currently be on the roster. Both kickers currently on the roster struggled in a wet joint practice against the Jets yesterday. There seems to be a good chance that, following the final preseason game, Washington will grab a kicker who gets waived by a team that currently has two kickers in camp.
Cornerback
While offensive tackle has been the focus of media and fan attention since before the 2023 season even ended, Washington’s cornerback group, though it has some depth, with the loss of Kendall Fuller has less starting skill than did the ‘23 roster.
Defensively, Adam Peters bolstered the anemic DE group that remained at the end of the ‘23 season with 2 key free agent signings and a late-round draft pick. With the drafting of Johnny Newton, he did the same for the DT position. By drafting Dom Hampton, signing Jeremy Chinn, and shifting Quan Martin from nickel back to free safety, the overall strength of the Commanders’ safety position group was also enhanced. Of course, the linebacker group underwent a transformative offseason.
The cornerback group, however, is chock-full of question marks. As we approach the first preseason game, the CB with the fewest questions appears to be the rookie, slot corner Mikey Sainristil. When it comes to veteran players, Ben St-Juste is a handsy, oft-flagged DB who has been part of defensive secondaries in Washington that have been repeatedly burned by busted coverages. Speaking of getting burned, Emmanuel Forbes (and others) repeatedly gave up easy receptions to Jets receivers in Thursday’s joint practice at Florham Park. Former LA Ram, Michael Davis, who had a sub-par ‘23 season, may be the most reliable corner on the roster at the moment. Joe Whitt, who has a reputation for doing magic with defensive backs, looks to have his hands full getting this group ready to play meaningful football a month from now.
Preseason Games
The Commanders open the 2024 preseason at the NY Jets on Saturday, August 10th at 12:00 p.m.
The second preseason game will be in Miami, at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday the 17th of August.
Washington will close out its preseason with a home game against the Patriots at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 25th.
Every NFL team needs to reduce its roster to a maximum of 53 players by 4pm on August 27th.