3 UDFA rookies that have a chance to shake up the Commanders offseason, starting with rookie minicamp
Commanders rookie minicamp kicks off in a few days, so let’s take a close look at a few undrafted free agents who can start making a name for themselves as soon as this weekend.
The Washington Commanders, along with the vast majority of the other NFL teams, are ready to start the 2026 version of rookie minicamp this weekend.
Commanders rookie minicamp is set to run May 8-May 9, with practice on each day, as Dan Quinn and Co. help the rookies take their first official steps in adjusting to NFL life before joining the veterans later in the month.
There will be plenty to monitor this weekend with 15 combined draft picks and undrafted free agents. That doesn’t include the tryout players, either.
With that being said, there are three undrafted rookies I want to single out (in positive fashion) as names to keep an eye on from this weekend-on.
3 UDFA rookies to start keeping an eye on once Commanders rookie minicamp starts
1. Jaden Bradley, WR, UNLV
Bradley immediately sticks out in the Commanders receiver room because he’s the only guy over 6-foot-2. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he brings solid size and big-play ability to the receiver corps.
He finished his college career on a high note, snagging 58 receptions for 931 yards and four touchdowns, all career-bests. Bradley obviously deserves his fair share of the credit, but UNLV head coach Dan Mullen’s message helped spark a productive final season.
“I said ‘What you’ve done in the past probably hasn’t worked, so why don’t you try it our way and try to buy in?’” Mullen told Hero Sports‘ Ron Counts back in October 2025. “Most of the improvement I’ve seen from him is from the neck up, his attitude, his demeanor, and the way he prepares.”
Bradley helped the Rebels amass a 10-4 record last year and had five games of 70+ receiving yards. Two of said games were of the 100+ variety, where Bradley recorded 131 and 125 yards.
The Commanders room isn’t very stable outside star receiver Terry McLaurin, so Bradley has a chance to climb the depth chart with a strong offseason.
2. UTSA Roadrunners RB Robert Henry Jr.
Like Bradley, Henry Jr. brings some big-time playmaking ability to the table. Per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Henry Jr. recorded six plays of 70+ yards in 2025, which is wild to think about. No matter what level of football you’re playing.
He carried the ball 408 times for 2,339 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns over the course of 35 games at UTSA, good for 5.7 yards per carry. Henry Jr. also showed some pop in the passing game by catching 58 passes for 428 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
The fact Henry Jr. can break off a big gain at any moment can carry a lot of weight with the coaching staff over the next few weeks and it can certainly help him break into an already-crowded running back room.
3. Iowa Hawkeyes K Drew Stevens
Stevens definitely has the easiest path to a roster spot and if he earns one, it obviously means the end of Jake Moody’s time with the Commanders.
Stevens has a huge leg, which is what the Commanders have missed at placekicker. His accuracy, however, is a different story.
It’s literally a mixed bag: Stevens made 88.9% of his field goal attempts as a freshman in 2022 (it led the Big Ten) and 87.0% of FG attempts in 2024. 2023 and 2025 were completely different stories, however, as he made just 69.2% and 78.6% of FG attempts, respectively.
This will be a very interesting battle. Moody bounced around three teams in 2025, alone, before finally settling with the Commanders. He went 10/11 on field goal attempts, with a long of 56, and 10/11 on PATs. Consistency hasn’t been his game, either, and it could certainly be his downfall if he isn’t on point during offseason workouts, minicamp, and training camp.
There are plenty of other names to watch this weekend, but these guys really stand out and it’ll be fun to see if they can make some waves over the coming weeks and months.