The Washington Commanders were off from practice Sunday as they prepare for Monday’s night preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens from FedEx Field.
While the players received a much-needed day off, the front office was busy making tweaks to the roster. With the new NFL rule that all roster cuts can be made at once, the new deadline for teams is Aug. 29 to trim rosters from 90 players to 53.
On Sunday, the Commanders cut two players — and signed two, keeping them at 90 players.
The outgoing players are kicker Michael Badgley and wide receiver Jalen Sample. Washington signed defensive tackle Isaiah Mack and punter Michael Palardy to replace them.
Badgley was signed just before training camp to compete with Joey Slye. The Commanders like Slye. He has a strong leg, has made some big field goals and is excellent on kickoffs. He made 25 of 30 field goals in 2022 but missed four PATs.
While Badgley pushed Slye, it was clear that the incumbent was the clear winner this summer. Slye will enter his third season with Washington.
Sample was a 6-foot-4 undrafted free agent from Minnesota State-Mankato who was stuck down the depth chart at one of the strongest positions on Washington’s roster.
Mack is a 6-foot-1, 299-pound defensive tackle from UT Chattanooga. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019 with the Tennessee Titans. He has also spent time on the rosters of the Patriots, Broncos, Steelers, Ravens, Seahawks and Jets. The Jets released Mack on Aug. 8 after he was signed in January. He has appeared in 23 games with 11 tackles.
Palardy, 31, has been in the NFL since 2014. He has spent time on the rosters of the Raiders, Rams, Panthers, Ravens, Colts, Browns, Falcons, Panthers [again], Dolphins and Patriots. His longest stint was with Carolina from 2016-20, when he was current Washington head coach Ron Rivera’s punter. He has punted in 80 career games and averaged 44.9 yards per punt.
Palardy is the second punter Washington since this preseason due to a minor back injury to Tress Way. Like he did in last week’s preseason opener, Way will hold in the game, but will not punt, opening the door for Palardy.
Tress Way (back) will not punt in Monday’s preseason game against the Ravens. He will just hold, like he did vs the Browns.
Way punted in practice, but the team doesn’t want to risk it. https://t.co/Hustf8hcK3
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 20, 2023