We're less than 10 days away from the Washington Commanders reporting to Ashburn, Virginia, for training camp, and it's time we got to know the roster a little better.
The Commanders outperformed expectations in the first year with general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn at the helm. Jayden Daniels put together one of the most electrifying rookie seasons in NFL history, and the team was one game away from appearing in the Super Bowl.
Now, with more primetime games on the horizon and a much higher standard to reach, the Commanders must prepare for an encore performance. Like last year, that work will begin in training camp, and Commanders.com will look at every position ahead of the first practice day on July 23. Next up are the wide receivers.
On the roster
- Ja'Corey Brooks
- Noah Brown
- Michael Gallup
- Jacoby Jones
- Jaylin Lane
- Luke McCaffrey
- Terry McLaurin
- Chris Moore
- K.J. Osborn
- Deebo Samuel
- Michael Strachan
What to watch
- How will Deebo Samuel diversify the offense? The Commanders traded for Samuel hoping they could provide Daniels with a reliable No. 2 wide receiver who could also expand their options within the offense. Samuel certainly has the resume to accomplish that, and Peters has a good idea of his skill set since he helped draft him out of South Carolina. The 49ers used Samuel at multiple spots on the field, and there was some of that during the Commanders' OTAs and minicamp, although we won't get a real picture until the season begins in September. Still, given Samuel's history and his new coaching staff's reputation for having clear plans on how to maximize players' talents, it's reasonable to assume Samuel will be a Swiss Army knife for Washington. We'll have to wait and see how effective that strategy will be for the Burgundy & Gold.
- Can Jaylin Lane become an immediate contributor? The Commanders believe the quality of their five draft picks makes up for the lack of quantity, and Lane is a good example of that. The front office was excited when he fell to Washington in the fourth round, not just for his ability as a punt returner but for his speed, quickness and route running ability. Lane flashed at times during minicamp, and there is some expectation that he will improve the offense at some point. It will be interesting to see how soon that day arrives for Lane. If it is during this season, then the bottom of Washington's receiver room will be much more potent with him and Luke McCaffrey in the slot. There's also his ability as a returner to consider. It's been almost 10 years since the Commanders scored a punt return touchdown. Even if that is Lane's primary role as a rookie, it would help the roster to find a long-term solution at the position.
- Who will take the final spots? Anything can happen in camp, but it looks like five spots are already locked up at receiver: McLaurin, Brown, Samuel, McCaffrey and Lane. That leaves only one or two spots left, and there are some interesting names in the group. Moore has been around the league for years but had some positive plays during minicamp. Gallup was a low-risk, high-reward pickup in the offseason who could be an interesting addition if he shows the talent he had in Dallas. Osborn has been on the roster since last season and has the potential to be a solid player at the bottom of the depth chart. All those players and others have a solid shot of making waves in August, but none are surefire locks. They'll need to prove they can elevate the position group to be on the initial 53-man roster.
