Washington Commanders cut ties with a rookie from their 2026 draft class, and they only gave him four games
A sixth-round pick out of Penn State lasted four games in Washington, and the running back room he leaves behind is telling a story.
In a shocking move, the Washington Commanders have waived rookie running back Kaytron Allen. Allen was a sixth-round pick out of Penn State, and he’s off the roster after just four weeks into his rookie season. Many fans had circled him as the bruiser this backfield was missing. The Commanders clearly disagreed.
Draft picks get cut all the time, but four weeks in is a short leash, even for a Day 3 pick.
Kaytron Allen never got rolling with the Commanders
Let’s take a look at what Allen actually put on the field. Through four weeks, he carried the ball 12 times for 41 yards with no touchdowns. That’s 3.4 yards per carry. Is that a disaster? No. Is it enough to hold a roster spot in a room this crowded? Evidently not. When a team cuts bait this fast on a guy it drafted in April, the decision isn’t really about 41 yards. It’s about who else is in the building & how the coaching staff ranks them.
Allen wasn’t brought in to be a home-run hitter. Fans hoped he could be the power back, the short-yardage hammer, the guy you hand it to on third-and-1 when everyone in the stadium knows it’s coming. That role matters. Washington just doesn’t seem to believe Allen was the one to fill it.
Jeremy McNichols could be the reason
The timing lines up with Jeremy McNichols returning to practice. The move could be due in part to McNichols getting back on the field & Washington viewing him as the more valuable piece in the running back room.
McNichols is a known commodity for this staff. Allen was a rookie still finding his footing. When you’re trying to win games in October, the known commodity usually wins that tiebreaker.
Washington’s running back room was already packed
Even before Allen’s release, Washington’s backfield was crowded. Look at who’s in there:
– Ja’Cory Croskeyy-Merritt – Rachaad White – Austin Ekeler – Jeremy McNichols, possibly re-entering the mix
Where does a sixth-round rookie averaging 3.4 yards per carry fit into that? He doesn’t, at least not in Washington’s eyes.
