Washington Commanders lose two veteran players for the entire year before the 2026 season even begins
The Commanders made a bunch of roster moves on Tuesday, including putting two veterans on season-ending IR.
The Washington Commanders received some bad news early this week when they placed two veteran players on injured reserve, ending their respective 2026 season before it even began.
Veteran running back Jerome Ford and veteran wide receiver River Cracraft suffered injuries during Friday’s preseason win over the Miami Dolphins, and neither will suit up for the Commanders this fall.
Ford appeared dinged up on the field Friday, but the severity of the situation wasn’t confirmed until the recent move to IR. Commanders coach Dan Quinn addressed Ford’s injury Tuesday when he spoke with reporters, referring to it as a hamstring injury. That’s particularly unfortunate for Ford because hamstring injuries, while fickle, are typically not long-term or serious enough to warrant an IR designation like this one.
The fifth-year back was competing in a deep running back room, but his veteran presence alongside Rachaad White gave him a bit of an edge simply because he knows the ins and outs of the NFL after playing in the league for the last four years.
Still, Ford had an uphill climb. White’s current status, Bill Merritt’s potential, Kaytron Allen’s draft pedigree, Jeremy McNichols’ special teams play and ability as a depth option, and then Robert Henry Jr., who looked great on Friday against the Dolphins, all made for a crowded competition.
It’s unfortunate for Ford, but hopefully he can return healthy in 2027. If it’s not with Washington, he should be able to compete for a running back role with another team.
No Commanders receiver stood out against the Dolphins
As for Cracraft, he was about to enter his ninth season in the league. He’ll still get the accrued year since he ended up on IR. The receiver room, meanwhile, is still in a tough competition because even though Stefon Diggs didn’t play on Friday night and neither did Terry McLaurin, nobody stood out too much among the remaining pass catchers.
Jalin Lane led the team with three receptions for 31 yards, and that was about the most consistent playmaking the Commanders saw out of a receiver. Luke McCaffrey finished with zero catches on 2 targets. Jacoby Jones added two catches for 33 yards. That about sums up the overall performance from the Commanders’ receivers against the Dolphins.
Granted, they did have a third-string and fourth-string quarterback throwing to them in Sam Hartman and Athan Kaliakmanis after Marcus Mariota got hurt. But the point remains: no one is standing out in the Commanders’ receiver room so far after one game of preseason play.
The Commanders added linebacker Krys Barnes, defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II, tight end Tre McKitty, and running back Craig Reynolds as corresponding moves.
