Every year is a new audition for most NFL players and that’s definitely the case for several Washington Commanders on the roster bubble entering 2026.

The Commanders overhauled the roster for the second-straight offseason. They added a whopping 22 free agents, along with 14 rookies (drafted and undrafted), into the mix. That creates competition at all levels of the roster and naturally, some guys will get squeezed out.

That unfortunately includes some guys who helped the team in 2025. Especially when considering the disappointment that was last year’s 5-12 campaign.

So, who are said guys? Let’s dive in and discuss.

WR Treylon Burks

Everybody fell in love with Burks after his incredible touchdown catch against the Broncos, but that was clearly the highlight of his year. The former first-round pick has never played a full season since being drafted 18th overall in 2022, and the Tennessee Titans released him from injured reserve before Washington claimed him.

Burks is a big-bodied, physical receiver who never lived up to his true potential. The Commanders’ receiver room behind Terry McLaurin remains fluid, but it’s no guarantee he finds a spot on the 53. He was incredibly inefficient in limited time, averaging a poor 45.5% catch rate and an abysmal 0.85 yards per route run. For full context: A decent YPPR mark sits around 1.75, meaning Burks reached about half of that threshold.

His path to sticking on the roster starts with health. If he suffers an injury and other guys step up, the Commanders don’t owe him anything. Beyond that, he simply has to provide consistent production, something he’s never done in his NFL career.

2025 contributions: 10 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets. Played in eight games with three starts. Logged 262 offensive snaps and 11 special teams snaps.

DL Deatrich Wise Jr.

This one is tough because Wise is a good player and a good person. He suffered a bad quad injury in Week 2 that held him out of mandatory minicamp and OTAs, and the Commanders stocked up on the defensive line during the offseason.

Washington brought in Tim Settle, Charles Omenihu, and DJ Davidson to go along with incumbents Javon Kinlaw, Daron Payne, and Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton. Add Shy Tuttle, Ricky Barber, and Jeffrey M’ba to the mix and the picture becomes clear: Wise is fighting for one of the last roster spots on the defensive line.

The Commanders will probably carry about six defensive linemen in their 3-4 base defense, and five of those six spots look filled. DJ Davidson is the only other player who isn’t a lock, so Wise has to be on point from the jump.

The impression from Quinn and the coaching staff is that Wise should be fully recovered by the time training camp starts. If he can’t reclaim his form, he could be one of the veterans who doesn’t survive the final cut.

2025 contributions: Four total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one QB hit. Played in two games with two starts. Logged 51 defensive snaps and four special teams snaps.

DL Javontae Jean-Baptiste

The Commanders loaded up at the edge position this offseason as well, signing Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson to significant deals. Those two will serve as the primary rushers. Dorance Armstrong is also coming back from an ACL injury and was having a strong 2025 campaign before his injury. The coaching staff loves him. Lastly, fifth-round rookie Joshua Josephs rounds out the top four.

That leaves Jean-Baptiste competing with Drake Jackson, DJ Johnson, T.J. Maguranyanga, and Andre Carter II for one of the final spots. The key for the soon-to-be third-year player will be special teams. He hasn’t logged many special teams snaps over his first two seasons, and that will have to change if he wants to crack the 53.

2025 contributions: Six total tackles, 1.0 sack, one tackle for loss, and one QB hit. Played in three games and logged 60 defensive snaps, along with 11 special teams snaps.

K Jake Moody

The Commanders’ kicker situation since 2024 has been wild. If Moody ends up getting cut, he would be the ninth kicker Washington has moved on from since Peters and Quinn took over the franchise. Drew Stevens, who would take his spot, would then become the 10th guy kicking for the Commanders in that span.

Moody went 10-for-11 on both field goals and extra points for Washington last year, but inconsistency has plagued his career. Stevens has a big leg and chose the Commanders because he saw a viable path to a job. There’s a genuine competition brewing, and Moody can’t afford to slip up.

2025 contributions: Went 10/11 kicking both field goals and PATs (90.9%). Played in six games.

OL Trent Scott

Scott filled in nicely during the 2024 season when injuries hit Washington’s offensive line, but his role shrank in 2025 down to jumbo-package duty. He typically plays tackle and can slide inside to guard, but the Commanders’ depth chart doesn’t leave much room at either.

Laremy Tunsil and Josh Conerly Jr. are the bookends at tackle. Andrew Wiley can play inside or serve as the swing tackle, and he received a two-year extension worth more than $7 million this past offseason. Brandon Coleman’s move to guard further crowds the interior. Scott, on a veteran minimum deal, simply doesn’t have the contractual leverage or positional versatility to beat out Wiley, who can slide inside at a better clip.

Training camp will sort all of this out, but these five players face the steepest climbs on a roster that looks far more competitive than it did a year ago.

2025 contributions: Played in eight games that included three starts. Filled the “jumbo” role in the Commanders’ jumbo packages. Played 82 offensive snaps and 35 special teams snaps.