Five must-watch players on the Washington Commanders offense in the first preseason game vs the New England Patriots
Keep your eyes on these five players on offense during the preseason game
Football season is finally here for the Washington Commanders as the preseason kicks off on Friday night vs the New England Patriots. Preseason is important for the underdogs and unsung heroes to make an impression and fight for a roster spot.
Every year, a team seems to have a player or two who make an important play to help the success of the season. Washington has rebuilt the roster and added value to depth positions that can step in and make a difference. There are a lot of players worth watching this preseason, especially on offense.
Quarterback – Sam Hartman
The battle for QB3 is going to be a tight race between Sam Hartman and Josh Johnson, but best best-case scenario is the younger guy taking the spot. Hartman has had an up-and-down training camp, but the ups have been impressive when he takes care of the ball. Of course, you don’t want to see the third QB on the team play this season, but it’s valuable to have one in your back pocket.
Hartman will get plenty of playing time in the preseason, especially in the first game with the starters sitting. We can see Hartman for an entire half, which would benefit him a ton.
Running Back – Jacory Croskey-Merritt
This is no surprise, of course, as the Jacory Croskey-Merritt hype train has been full steam ahead in training camp, and even other fan bases have seen it. The first unofficial depth chart came out with Croskey-Merritt as RB5, which means he will get a good amount of playing time in preseason. We’ve seen the flashes of the vision and burst at practice, but actually doing that in live game reps can boost his stock to get real playing time.
Tight End – Ben Sinnott
Ben Sinnott isn’t one of the players fighting for a roster spot, obviously, but last season we saw him in the blocking game and taking care of the dirty work, and I’m hoping we can see more involvement in the receiving game this season.
Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury can run more 2 and 3 TE sets this season, and that leaves the door open for more playing time for Sinnott. He can make some big plays again this preseason and show his development in the receiving game.
Offensive Line – Timothy McKay
I’m not sure how much Timothy McKay will play since he only recently started practicing after recovering from his torn pectoral muscle, but the in-game reps would be very beneficial to him. The Commanders gave McKay one of the biggest deals for an undrafted rookie after the draft, and he was a hot commodity to a lot of teams. He was a projected early day-3 pick before he got injured, and can add value to the offensive line at guard or tackle.
Wide Receiver – Ja’Corey Brooks
Every offseason, we fall in love with an underdog that makes a lot of noise at training camp, and this season it’s been undrafted rookie WR Ja’Corey Brooks. This case could be different, though, with Brooks being an undrafted player who may have just gotten lost in the crowd as a former five-star recruit who played at Alabama before transferring to Louisville.
He was the leading receiver in his lone season at Louisville, and an impressive showing in the three preseason games can help him fight for a final spot at a position the Commanders need the most.
The Commanders finally have valuable depth pieces that can contribute, and all five of these players either have something to prove or want to lock in a final roster spot. That starts Friday night when they take the field against the Patriots in the first preseason game, and I’ll be keeping a close eye on these players.
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