The Washington Commanders are days away from finalizing their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season. They have one final preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens before deciding which players on their 90-man roster will be part of the franchise for the next five months. It's an important time, and over the next few days, fans are going to be searching for as much insight as possible into who could make the cut.

So, let's get into it and see what fans want to know this week.

@DanChincharFF: Do you feel Jacory Croskey-Merritt has improved his pass blocking enough this offseason to warrant more snaps on third downs?

I would say so, and it's arguably what has stood out the most about Croskey-Merritt, who had a good camp. His struggles in that area were one of the reasons he received fewer carries in the middle of last season, despite his abilities with the ball in his hands. There's more to being an NFL running back than carrying the ball; it's something that every rookie player at the position must learn. I don't think he was ever unwilling to pass block, but learning the proper techniques and physical requirements can take time. Croskey-Merritt has put his full effort into improving that area of his skill set, and it has shown up on the field.

That's going to get him more snaps on the field, and if fans have shown anything over the past year, it's that they love when they see Bill in the lineup.

@MrEd315: Who's your long shots for making the season-opening 53?

I think you're talking about players who could be surprise picks to make the roster. It's always difficult to tackle this question, but I feel like this year's roster presents even more of a challenge. It might not feel like it right now because of all the injuries, but the team is much deeper than it's been in a while. That doesn't leave many opportunities for "camp Cinderellas" to sneak onto the roster. Still, there have been some entertaining players out there, so I'll try to give you a few names.

The one that comes to my mind is Antonio Hamilton Sr. He has such a good story being an 11-year veteran who has bounced around the league. He was with the Commanders last year and performed well in spot duty. He does have some length to his frame, but what really makes him stand out is his energy and enthusiasm. He gives his all on every play, and that kind of effort matters to coaches. If he does make the team, it would likely be mostly for special teams purposes, but players like Hamilton are welcome in that unit. I have no idea how many cornerbacks they plan to keep, but if they do keep five, it wouldn't surprise me if he was one of them.

I think you could make the same case for Ale Kaho. That's a stacked position, but he has managed to make plays and seems like a good fit for the system. Up front, there's also Ricky Barber and Shy Tuttle -- two players who have stood out as nose guards. I don't think both of them will make the roster, but I could see one of them sneaking in.

@JambalayaStyles: Are Reynolds and McNichols effectively filling the same role?

In a way, yes. Their skill sets aren't exactly the same, but Reynolds does bring experience to the room and can act as both a solid runner and pass-catcher. If you look at the numbers, McNichols has been the more impactful player, but Reynolds is also useful in a pinch. Almost half of his career receptions have resulted in first downs, and he averages 4.3 yards per rush. McNichols' injury makes things interesting, but taking that out of the equation, I would assume McNichols is the preferred option. However, it wouldn't surprise me if the Commanders wanted to keep Reynolds on the practice squad because of their versatile skill sets. Plus, Reynolds knows the offense, which is always helpful.

@EasyMoney81: Will Adam Peters upgrade this OL?  Particularly center 
@Hughburt33: What are some of the most realistic options to "upgrade" our o-line? I think after today they have to make a move 
@LayTheSnaccdown: Do you think there will be moves made on the IOL that would consist of, for lack of a better term "passable" or solid veteran talent? I'm not expecting us to suddenly have The Hogs again. But do you foresee us having something more reliable for the regular season?

This is the question I knew I would get this week, so I'll try my best to answer it.

First of all, I'm going to say something that will be controversial to the fan base right now. You can call me a homer all you want, but just stay with me on this: I don't think the offensive line is the turnstile it has been made out to be.

Okay, let's just sit in that statement for a moment. Once you've calmed down, let me provide some context to why I feel that way. Because context is important.

Let's save center for last, because that's where most of the attention has been placed recently. Starting with left tackle, I think Brandon Coleman is a fine player. I wrote about this a while back, but I'll give you the short version: is he Laremy Tunsil? No, but he does have quick feet, good hands and a solid ability to move in space. He was a starting-caliber left tackle as a rookie, and that was before he improved his skill set over the last two seasons.

There are a lot of things to like about Chris Paul in pass protection. He actually had his best year in the category last season, and I've been impressed with what he's shown in camp. I feel comfortable with him at left guard. Plus, with the right players surrounding him, he can improve his limitations to a more serviceable level (I promise we'll get to center, so just keep reading).

Sam Cosmi has had an amazing camp and could be in line for a Pro Bowl season. 'Nuff said there.

As for Josh Conerly, there's still reason to be excited about his future. He still has things to work on, but he improved as his rookie season progressed, and he has solid tools to be a good NFL tackle. It takes time for tackles to develop in the NFL. Defensive ends are exponentially faster and more athletic compared to the college game, and adjusting to that doesn't happen quickly. We need to be patient with that while also acknowledging that Conerly has shown enough to earn a starting job. Plus, he has Tunsil's seal of approval, which is enough for me.

I just named four out of five players on the offensive line that I feel confident in. "But Zach," you might ask, "Why are we seeing the group struggle at times against other opponents?" Well, there are a few reasons, most of which are simply part of the process this time of year.

I don't mean for this to come off a certain way, but being part of an offensive line is more complicated than "big guys getting in the way of other big guys." You need to build chemistry and a rapport with the people around you because they're just as important to your success as you are to theirs. This is true for combo blocks, pulling, pass protection and several other factors. So, when the person next to you is unexpectedly removed from the equation (such as Tunsil tearing his triceps), it pushes that development back. You have to learn how to work with a completely different person, which can take time.

We also need to remind ourselves that the preseason is not really how the NFL works. Under normal circumstances, you have a whole week to prepare for each team, learn their tendencies and how to counter them. You learn whether that team likes to run certain stunts or twists up front and talk about how you will handle them with your fellow offensive linemen. That's not the case in the preseason or joint practices. You're seeing things for the first time, and sometimes you're going to get beat because you aren't totally prepared. That doesn't totally excuse poor play, but it does explain why it happens sometimes and offers guidance on how to react to it.

So, when the Commanders' offensive line said their performance against the Ravens in their joint practice wasn't up to their standard, we should remember that Cosmi was sick; Paul and Coleman are still getting used to playing together; sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin was working with Daniels more than he ever has; and Julian Good-Jones was playing right guard -- a position he hasn't played all camp -- leaving Conerly to adjust to working with a new player on the fly. Oh, and by the way, they didn't plan for a talented defensive line, because teams are more focused on themselves this time of year. This is not an excuse, but rather a partial explanation for why things were out of sync.

Now, on to the center position and the depth. Quinn said they need to figure out the center position, and I would echo that sentiment. I'm not going to negatively criticize anyone here, but I think it's fair to say that it was not in the Commanders' plans for Julian Good-Jones to be the starting center. They like Nick Allegretti for his physicality and intelligence, and I think those traits will help elevate the entire group when he's on the field. I also believe he will help elevate the play of Paul and Cosmi. He probably won't help Paul in the same way that Tunsil helped him, but working with an experienced player like Allegretti is going to be a benefit.

However, Allegretti is obviously not on the field right now, which has left the Commanders to deal with players who have less league experience. I expect the Commanders will look at their options once roster cuts occur this weekend. In theory, there will be about 32 centers on the market, and the Commanders can determine whether one of those players can help elevate the room. I hesitate to point out specific players because that wouldn't be fair to the players themselves, and I, like every other team reporter around the league, have been more concentrated on the team I cover, so I couldn't give you a completely educated answer. Also, there are surprise cuts every year, and that would obviously change the evaluation process.

This might be the longest answer I've ever provided, and if you've made it this far, congratulations. If not, and you're just scrolling to the end, let me give you the TL;DR version: yes, I expect the Commanders will look at possible upgrades to the offensive line, but I don't agree with the notion that offensive line isn't "passable." I think there's a lot to like about the starting group, and two negative plays in a preseason game and a performance in a joint practice that requires multiple levels of context isn't going to change that opinion.

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day.