He played just 1 series, but it may have saved this Commanders LB's job

Washington Commanders linebacker Jordan Magee has flashed great potential when healthy. The problem is, he hasn’t been that for much of his career up to now.

Embodying the term “resilience,” according to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, Magee was healthy enough to make his 2025 debut in the team’s preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens, and once again was able to flash the potential that gets everyone so excited when they get to see him play.

Magee was able to get healthy enough in his rookie 2024 season to appear in eight games for Washington, but he never truly recaptured the momentum he had in training camp that year before injury stole valuable time and reps from him and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.

Entering 2025 rejuvenated and healthy, having two weeks stolen by another injury was surely frustrating, and once again tested Magee in ways that go beyond the football field.

Washington Commanders linebacker Jordan Magee (58). | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

'Built Differently'

“This is a really hardened, tough competitor. When the injuries can happen, you can see on some it can be ‘not again’ or ‘here we go,’ but not this guy. He's just built differently. He's very mentally hardened in that way,” Quinn says of his linebacker and how he attacks injury setbacks.

“The best ability is availability,” Magee said after the game. “I know I can play football... I was having a good training camp until I got hurt for two weeks... [but] that was a minor setback.”

Minor or not, a second training camp injury had some wondering if the Commanders weren’t just better off keeping rookies Kain Medrano and Ale Kaho on the roster, and taking the risk of waiving Magee and trying to bring him back on the practice squad.

While we doubt the team had the same thoughts, if they did, Magee took great strides in ensuring that the coaching staff was reminded of just how good he is when he’s available, though he only played one series in the finale.

A Statement in One Series

“Even sometimes, five or six plays, it's worth it. The pre-game, getting out there, getting ready, I was pleased,” Quinn said.

When he came off the field, Magee was leading the team in tackles, and it wasn’t until the third quarter that anyone passed him, despite the fact that he played just one series.

“Coming off this game, my first preseason game, it was good to get game action in before the regular season,” said Magee.

The Final Decision Looms

Still, there is a nagging question in the back of every player who doesn’t have a solidified spot on the roster on whether or not they’ll make the team’s initial 53-man roster, be asked to come back on the practice squad, or be released outright.

For Magee, we can’t imagine Washington not wanting to move forward with him, but his mindset isn’t on that; it’s on what he can control right now.

“[Sunday], I'll be in the facility doing recovery, and that's it,” Magee said when asked about the looming cuts coming over the next few days. “You can't really know at the end of the day. I try to come in, play to the best of my ability, and let the coaches and upper guys decide that.”

All a player can do is their best to influence the decision. Ultimately, that decision rests on general manager Adam Peters, his staff, and, of course, the coaches who will heavily influence the coming decisions.

Availability may be the best ability, and Magee showed that he has it just in time, and looks to be ready to roll into Week 1, given the opportunity to do so. His performance on the team added to that was a prime reminder of why the young linebacker was arguably the star of last year’s training camp outside of quarterback Jayden Daniels, and why we believe he’ll get his chance as a member of the Commanders’ initial 53-man roster for the 2025 NFL season.

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