Sunday’s final preseason game is a snoozer on one hand, but on the other hand, some Commanders players are playing to stay employed.
Has Marcus Mariota performed well enough that the Commanders would only keep him and Jayden Daniels? Jeff Driskel on the other hand, with another good performance, might cause the staff to keep a third quarterback.
Jeff Driskel takes off for 41 yards!
: Stream #WASvsMIA on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/DbpnMf1Kaz
— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2024
With Jahan Dotson traded, if Washington keeps six receivers, Terry McLaurin, Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Luke McCaffrey are locks. Byron Pringle, Brycen Tremayne, Kazmeir Allen, Martavis Bryant, and Jamison Crowder are battling.
At tight end, who will get the fourth spot on the roster, Cole Turner or Colson Yankoff?
Has Michael Wiley performed well enough to pass Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols as the third running back?
As for the offensive line? Perhaps Adam Peters will sign a released player next week. If he thinks he can improve the protection for Jayden Daniels, he will do it. Ricky Stromberg, Michael Deiter, Braeden Daniels, Julian Good-Jones, Trent Scott and Chris Paul are all battling for the final spots.
At defensive tackle, are Phidarian Mathis, John Ridgeway, Benning Potoa’e and Norell Pollard battling for two spots?
At defensive end, K.J Henry, Jalen Harris, Jamin Davis, Javonte Jean-Baptiste and Andre Jones can’t all be on the roster.
Anthony Pittman, Mykal Walker, and Dominique Hampton might be striving for the final linebacker spot.
At corner, who gets the last spot? Is it Chigozie Anusiem, Noah Igbinoghene, Tariq Castro-Fields, or James Pierre?
Safety might be the deepest spot on the team. Do Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler, Tyler Owens and Kendell Brooks all make the team?
It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Tress Way and Tyler Ott are safe as specialists. Cade York was just acquired to improve the kicking, hopefully.
So, most starters won’t play Sunday, but as you can see, the game is important to many players for many reasons.