The Washington Commanders have released their initial 53-man roster for the 2025 season. Here is a full breakdown of who made the cut.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

• Jayden Daniels
• Marcus Mariota
• Josh Johnson

Daniels returns as the head of the Commanders' offense with a year's worth of experience working in Kliff Kingsbury's system. He looked as accurate and poised as ever in the backfield, delivering accurate throws to his pass-catchers. He has also developed more as a leader, which his teammates have noticed over the past month.

"Now he's able to help develop others and help them fulfill what they can be," head coach Dan Quinn said of Daniels. "And so that's a big deal. And that comes with communication, experience, feedback. You're not quite able to do that your first day on the job, but you gain street cred by your performance, by the things that you do."

Marcus Mariota has missed most of training camp with a lower leg strain but did return to practice last week. For now, the quarterback is limited to individual work and throwing off to the side during team drills as he continues his "return to play" process. Mariota said he is not concerned about the injury, and the plan is for him to be ready for Week 1.

Johnson is an experienced veteran and has been in a number of offensive systems. He will be a valuable voice in the quarterback room and serve as an emergency option for the team.

Running back

• Austin Ekeler
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt
• Jeremy McNichols
• Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Ekeler has been a consistent professional throughout camp with his versatility out of the backfield. Although he turned 30 this offseason, he doesn't appear to have lost his stride and is expected to be just as potent of a weapon as he was last season. He is also expected to be the Commanders' primary kick return option once again after ranking third in yards in 2024.

Croskey-Merritt, also known as Bill, has been one of the top stories of camp with his vision and quickness standing out on several runs. He had a 27-yard rushing touchdown in the Commanders' second preseason game, which helped the fans, who already have high expectations for him, fall even more in love with him. Croskey-Merritt's place on the depth chart is unclear, but the coaching staff is intrigued by what he can offer them.

"I like the skills that we're seeing from Bill," Quinn said after the Bengals game. "And I'm encouraged by what I've seen so far. I know he was amped and ready to go for tonight, but he makes plays; he's got quickness. I love the ball security that he had tonight. Those are important things that you can't overlook."

Rodriguez emerged as one of the Commanders' more exciting backfield options against the Bengals, when he had a 40-yard run in the first quarter. Rodriguez's physical style should prove useful for the offense in short-yardage situations and near the goal line.

Jeremy McNichols had one of his best seasons with the Commanders in 2024 with 288 total yards and four touchdowns. The team likes the value he brings to special teams and will be a change-of-pace for the offense out of the backfield.

Tight end

• Zach Ertz
• John Bates
• Ben Sinnott
• Colson Yankoff

Another position that mirrors what the Commanders had in 2024, Ertz is back to lead the tight end room at age 34. Just as he was last year, Ertz has been one of Daniels' favorite targets in camp because of his athleticism and ability to get open in the middle of the field. With Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown missing extended time in camp, Ertz continues to prove that he can still be a go-to option, despite the fact that he will turn 35 during the season.

Bates, who was signed to a three-year deal during the offseason, returns to his role as the Commanders' primary blocking tight end. The team has high hopes for how he can evolve, particularly as a pass-catcher, but he has already earned praise from his teammates like Ertz, who believes Bates is one of the best in the league at his job.

"There's not many guys walking the Earth that can do what John Bates does," Ertz said. "I knew he was gonna have the opportunity to make a lot of money, and I'm just glad it's here in Washington."

Sinnott enters his second season with hopes of blossoming into an all-around tight end. The Commanders are eager to see how he fares with a year of experience and time learning from both Ertz and Bates. Yankoff provides value on special teams on top of plays like his 52-yard catch against the Ravens and will provide depth to the position.

Wide receiver

• Terry McLaurin
• Deebo Samuel
• Jaylin Lane
• Noah Brown
• Luke McCaffrey

McLaurin was on the Physically Unable to Perform list with an ankle injury for most of camp, but it appears as if he is getting closer to a return to the field. Quinn said he is healthy and has begun the conditioning part of his return to play process. There is not an exact date for when that will be, but the hope is that he will be ready for Week 1. McLaurin recently signed a multi-year extension that will keep him in Washington for the foreseeable future.

Samuel has been one of the offense's most exciting pieces in camp, thanks to his budding connection with Daniels. He has been at multiple spots on the field, but his most exciting moments have come on deep passes downfield, as he has come down with catches for explosive gains, often while double covered.

"I just think he's starting to understand how I see things, and I love to hear his feedback," Daniels said. "As far as what he's seeing, because obviously I'm not the one running a route."

Lane showed steady improvement throughout camp and made difficult catches during the Commanders' preseason games. The staff is still trying to figure out his full skill set, but they like his quickness, route running and feel for how to find soft spots in coverage. It is also expected that Lane will be the team's punt returner, although the team has made no official designation yet.

Like McLaurin, Brown has missed most of camp, although his issues have been with a knee injury. However, there were positive signs during the Commanders' final preseason game, as he was spotted running routes before kickoff. Like the rest of the Commanders' injured players, the hope is to have him ready for Week 1.

"I was really encouraged by what I saw today, too," Quinn said Saturday. "He is such a competitor, so like to see him full speed, making all the stops, you've heard me use the word like 'decel' -- how aggressively he can stop and that's what makes playing the position so unique. Not just the speed to get over the top, but all of it. But he really looked like himself today."

McCaffrey was lined up on the outside and in the slot during camp, and the team is confident in what he can offer them. Quinn said McCaffrey has been "one hell of a competitor," and they expect him to bring that mentality with him in his second season.

Offensive line

• Laremy Tunsil
• Brandon Coleman
• Tyler Biadasz
• Nick Allegretti
• Andrew Wylie
• Josh Conerly Jr.
• Chris Paul
• George Fant
• Trent Scott

Although he did not participate in any of the Commanders' preseason games, it was clear that Tunsil's reputation as a stalwart pass protector was accurate. He stonewalled nearly every player who tried to rush the passer from his side, keeping Daniels unbothered as he dissected the defense. Biadasz, who emerged as one of the Commanders' best offseason signings in 2024, is back as the starting center with a stronger bond between him and Daniels.

Wylie, who started at right tackle last season, has also played guard this season and split reps with rookie Josh Conerly Jr. Conerly showed improvement during fully padded practices and received praise from Quinn for his run blocking. It is unclear at this point when Conerly will be placed in the starting lineup, but the team has high expectations for what he can add to the group.

Guard Sam Cosmi has hit all his markers, according to Quinn, and has gotten closer to a return from the ACL injury he suffered against the Detroit Lions in the playoffs. He has been placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning that he will miss the first four games of the season. Coleman, who missed a significant portion of camp with a lower leg injury, said he felt "great" after getting snaps against the Ravens in the preseason finale and appears to be on track for a Week 1 return.

Paul, Scott and Fant, who signed with the team in the final week of camp, are all expected to provide depth on the offensive line and step in if needed.

DEFENSE

Defensive line

• Deatrich Wise Jr.
• Daron Payne
• Javon Kinlaw
• Jacob Martin
• Johnny Newton
• Dorance Armstrong
• Javontae Jean-Baptiste
• Eddie Goldman

Washington's new-look defensive line features a handful of players who the team believes will elevate their performance against the run, one of the unit's weak spots in 2024. Payne and Newton, the two mainstays in the interior, are joined by Kinlaw, who has shown physicality as the starter opposite Payne. Goldman has a history of being a quality depth piece who can stuff running lanes throughout his career. Martin, who played with the Chicago Bears last season, can also rush the passer but will add more assistance against the run.

On the edge, Armstrong, who had a career-high 39 tackles to go with five sacks, is joined by Deatrich Wise, who excelled as a run-stopper with the New England Patriots. Jean-Baptiste is back for his second season and expected to take another step as a pass-rusher.

Linebacker

• Von Miller
• Bobby Wagner
• Jordan Magee
• Kain Medrano
• Frankie Luvu
• Nick Bellore
• Ale Kaho

The Commanders needed more players to rush the passer, and they got one of the best in league history to do it with Miller joining the defense.

Wagner, who is set to begin his 14th season, has been an asset to the team in terms of his production on the field -- he recorded his 13th consecutive 100-tackle season in 2024 -- and leadership for Daniels and the rest of the Commanders' younger players. Wagner said it was an easy decision for him to re-sign with the Commanders this offseason as he prepares to add another year to his Hall of Fame resume. Luvu, another positive signing by the Commanders last season, and his athleticism provided a spark to the defense on top of him recording eight sacks. He was a Second Team All-Pro in 2024, and he will continue to be the emotional glue of the unit.

Rookie Medrano and second-year pro Magee have shown promise as the future of the position for the Commanders. Medrano has looked impressive in coverage, while Quinn said Magee is "one hell of a competitor." Both are expected to have integral roles in 2025.

Bellore has been a valuable special teams player since signing with the team last year and will continue to serve in that role. Kaho, an undrafted free agent, routinely stood out in Washington's preseason games with his physicality at violence at the point of attack.

Cornerback

• Marshon Lattimore
• Trey Amos
• Mike Sainristil
• Jonathan Jones
• Noah Igbinoghene

The Commanders' main lineup of Lattimore, Amos and Sainristil is expected to be a step up from what they had in 2024. Lattimore has looked healthy throughout camp, and his coaches have said that he looks closer to the version of himself he was earlier in this career, when he was a regular Pro Bowl selection. Amos got limited action in the preseason but received praise in practice for his success in man coverage. With Amos on the perimeter, Sainristil is expected to return to the nickel position, where he can hold his own against slot receivers.

Both Jones and Igbinoghene provide veteran experience as the primary backups and can step into the starting lineup if needed.

Safety

• Will Harris
• Quan Martin
• Percy Butler
• Jeremy Reaves
• Tyler Owens

Harris has been an instant fit into the Commanders' secondary. While Washington might lose some of the physicality Jeremy Chinn brought to the position last season, he does diversify their coverage packages, which they will need with the likes of CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown and Malik Nabers in the same division.

Martin has shown growth heading into his third season and made some impressive plays against the Cincinnati Bengals in the team's second preseason game. Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said that Martin has a good command of the defense and believes he can be one of the best in the league at his position.

The trio of Reaves, Owens and Butler will provide most of their value on special teams, but all three players have shown improvement on defense. Whitt said Reaves continues to make big plays, so much so to the point where he believes the team needs to start adding him to more packages. Owens is not afraid to play close to the line of scrimmage to add run support, while Butler can be a quality depth player at safety.

Special teams

• Tress Way
• Tyler Ott
• Matt Gay

Way re-signed with the team this past offseason and will continue adding to his legacy as the best statistical punter in team history. Ott has been a reliable long snapper since signing with the team in 2024, while the team has expressed confidence that Gay can be their long-term answer at kicker this year.