The Washington Commanders' preseason is officially over after the team got its first win over the New England Patriots, which means final cuts are right around the corner.

It's easily the saddest time of the year and the Commanders have some tough decisions to make, like the other teams. A lot of guys really helped themselves on Sunday night. 

So, let's not waste anymore time and dive right in.

**Efe Obada is predicted to start the year on PUP, which means he won't count toward the 53-man roster and will have to sit out the first four games of the year, at minimum. I'm also predicting both Jordan Magee and Johnny Newton start the season on short-term IR due to the NFL's new rules. Those two will also miss the first four games, at minimum. They will not be on this list, but are on the team, so to speak.**

**Also, please note single asterisks (*) represent rookies and double asterisks (**) represent rookie undrafted free agents.**

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Quarterback (2) 

IN: Jayden Daniels*, Marcus Mariota
OUT: Jeff Driskel, Sam Hartman**, Trace McSorely

The skinny: The injury situation could lead to the Commanders keeping three QBs, here, but I think the team feels comfortable enough letting Hartman hit waivers then signing him to the practice squad. There's certainly a world where Driskel makes the team, but the Commanders have more important needs, elsewhere.

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Running back (4)

IN: Austin Ekeler, Brian Robinson, Michael Wiley**, Jeremy McNichols
OUT: Austin Jones**, Chris Rodriguez Jr.

The skinny: Ekeler and Robinson will handle the majority of the season's workload on the ground. Wiley's skillset has flashed and it's easy to see what he can turn into if he continues to develop and McNichols offers a veteran presence. The injury situations mentioned in the beginning allow the Commanders to go with four guys, here, instead of the initial three that were projected before Sunday's game against the Patriots.

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Wide receiver (6)

IN: Terry McLaurin (X), Dyami Brown (Z), Luke McCaffrey* (slot), Olamide Zaccheaus, Jamison Crowder, Martavis Bryant
OUT: Byron Pringle, Kazmeir Allen, Davion Davis, Brycen Tremayne, Mitchell Tinsley, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint**

The skinny: Bryant makes the cut over Tremayne simply because he's done more with his opportunities of late. The latter played 44 snaps and turned in just one recepion for -3 yards on three targets while the former played 28 snaps and turned in three receptions for 20-yards and a touchdown on three targets. Bryant has size, like Tremayne, and is still athletic for his age. It's been a very impressive run for a guy who hasn't played in the NFL in half a decade. The only thing that keeps Bryant off the roster is lack of special teams play, but that can be made up through other guys.

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Tight end (3)

IN: Zach Ertz, Ben Sinnott*, John Bates
OUT: Cole Turner, Colson Yankoff**

The skinny: This room is chalk and so far, the easiest to predict. Even easier than running back. Kliff Kingsbury didn't use tight ends in the passing game much until Ertz came around in 2021 so the need for four guys isn't imperative, especially since the Commanders can probably stash Turner, and definitely stash Yankoff, on the practice squad. Turner had a solid night against the Patriots, but again, this offense doesn't utilize the position enough to keep four.

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Offensive line (9) 

IN: Andrew Wylie (RT), Sam Cosmi (RG), Tyler Biadasz (C), Nick Allegretti (LG), Cornelius Lucas (LT), Brandon Coleman*, Michael Dieter, Chris Paul, Braeden Daniels
OUT: Julian Good-Jones, Ricky Stromberg, David Nwaogwugwu**, Armani Taylor-Prioleau, Trent Scott, Cameron Tom

The skinny: This is another position group where injuries could affect the final numbers. Coleman is still nursing his pec strain, which could open the door to keep a guy like Trent Scott for depth purposes. The team has been cross-training Paul at tackle and Daniels at guard and that adds another layer to things. In all, nine will be the number, here, at minimum.

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Defensive line (10) 

IN: Clelin Ferrell (DE), Jonathan Allen (DT), Daron Payne (DT), Dorance Armstrong (DE), Dante Fowler Jr., Jamin Davis, John Ridgeway III, Phidarian Mathis, Javonte Jean-Baptiste*, Andre Jones Jr.
OUT: Jalen Harris, Benning Potoa'e, Taylor Stallworth, Norell Pollard**, K.J. Henry, Haggai Ndubuisi (IPP), Justin Hollins

The skinny:  Placing Newton on IR allows Jones to make the team because of his ability to play special teams. The Commanders need that since they're keeping Bryant, who doesn't play teams like mentioned earlier. Davis, the former first-rounder, makes the cut and will continue to develop at defensive end during obvious passing downs.

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Linebacker (4)

IN: Bobby Wagner (MLB), Frankie Luvu (WILL), Anthony Pittman, Mykal Walker
OUT: Chapelle Russell

The skinny: Walker has played well enough as of late to where he can be Magee's "replacement" until he returns from injury. The Commanders won't need to carry a lot of linebackers, because Wagner and Luvu will play 95% of snaps, probably more, as long as they're healthy.

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Cornerback (6) 

IN: Emmanuel Forbes (CB), Benjamin St-Juste (CB), Michael Davis (CB), Mike Sainristil* (NB), Noah Igbinoghene, Chigozie Anusiem**
OUT: Tariq Castro-Fields, Nick Whiteside II, James Pierre, Kyu Blu Kelly, A.J. Woods

The skinny: As malleable and questionable as this room is, the top guys are pretty obvious. Anusiem has been given every opportunity to make the team and I think he's done enough to where he can be a depth guy/special teamer who can fill in if someone gets hurt or is underperforming.

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Safety (6)

IN: Quan Martin (FS), Jeremy Chinn (SS), Jeremy Reaves, Dominique Hampton*, Tyler Owens**, Percy Butler
OUT: Darrick Forrest, Kendell Brooks, Sheldrick Redwine

The skinny: Six safeties seems like a lot, but Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. love their defensive backs and Butler can play teams, plus has starting experience from the last two seasons. Owens has popped in every preseason game and throughout training camp – it would be a shock if he doesn't make the 53.

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Specialists (3)

IN: Cade York (K), Tress Way (P), Tyler Ott (LS)
PR: Jamison Crowder
KR: Noah Igbinoghene
OUT: N/A

The skinny: The only positions really up for debate in this section are the returner positions. For the Commanders, and most NFL teams, I'd think that will be fluid early-on as everyone starts to get more tape on the returns and find ways to draw up plays to take advantage of whatever they're seeing. Outside of that, this room is locked in and good to go after Adam Peters traded a conditional seventh-rounder for York.

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Injury reminders

• DE Efe Obada: He was placed on active/PUP ahead of training camp due to the injury he suffered toward the end of last season. The Commanders will slide him to the reserve/PUP list in order to avoid using one of the two new IR designations on cutdown day.
• LB Jordan Magee*: His torn meniscus will certainly land him on short-term IR and the Commanders will use one of the two new designations in order to keep him from hitting waivers via getting cut.
• DT Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton*: The Commanders have been ramping him up, slowly, all offseason. Why not just go ahead and put him on short-term IR in order to make sure there are no setbacks? It's not like he was a luxury pick, to being with, or Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne don't exist on the roster.
• S Ben Nikkel** and LB Keandre Jones: Both players have been placed on IR, already, so their season is over.

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Final Word

The Commanders' roster already looks entirely different from what everyone saw, last year, and honestly, it's going to look different once everyone gets healthy and comes off PUP/IR. So, what we're seeing now is 100% guaranteed to change in the both the short- and long-term. 

Regardless, the team's plan and vision for 2024 is clear: Get the right guys in the building and start establishing a winning culture that everyone buys into. Quinn and Adam Peters have made a lot of moves geared toward making that happen and it's going to be fun watching it all play out on the field. Starting Week 1 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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