6 Winners, 7 Losers From Commanders’ Initial 53-Man Roster

The Washington Commanders' initial 53-man roster settled several positional competitions that had been ongoing since the team started its offseason program months ago. Making or missing the 53 doesn't define a winner or loser; a better measure is how much a player's standing changed over the offseason program. To make rational decisions, Washington's front office separated individual evaluations from the ugly results of the last two preseason games and looked for players who distinguished themselves during that phase. "You’re looking at the individual performances and who stood out and really separated themselves," Commanders GM Adam Peters said. Below are six players whose stock rose enough to earn jobs and seven whose paths took a different turn as their active roster spots disappeared.

Winners

OL Tanoa Togiai

The undrafted rookie who was likely the biggest surprise on the initial 53-man roster was Utah guard Tanoa Togiai. At the beginning of summer, most didn't even know who he was, much less believed he'd survive roster cuts. The constantly shifting offensive line gave him opportunities for extended snaps in preseason, with Washington having the chance to evaluate nearly every single combination. Togiai is clear proof that draft status means nothing if a player performs after signing as an undrafted free agent and convinces the staff he deserves one of the nine offensive line spots.

QB Athan Kaliakmanis

Athan Kaliakmanis went from a seventh-round developmental quarterback fighting Sam Hartman for reps to a player Washington wasn't willing to risk losing on waivers. His biggest jump came against Detroit, when he completed 11 of 14 passes for 162 yards and generated Washington's three longest offensive plays. Peters said Monday the preseason confirmed many of the traits the team saw when it drafted him. "He made a lot of really big-time throws in the preseason," Peters said. "And he’s not afraid to rip it." Peters then put a bow on the entire competition by saying, "Athan certainly earned that." That's about as definitive as it gets for a rookie who entered camp with no guarantees and left it with a spot on the active roster.

#Commanders QB Athan Kaliakmanis (The Greek Rifle) All-22 vs the Lions

• 11 for 14 passing (79%)
• 162 pass yds
• 114.9 RTG
• 92.4 PFF grade #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/j0tXnFAMNT
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) August 23, 2026

K Drew Stevens

Drew Stevens had one of the cleanest paths from unknown to starter of anyone on the roster. The undrafted rookie began camp competing against Jake Moody and gradually created enough separation that Washington ended the competition before preseason was even finished. Stevens then backed up the decision by making both field goal attempts against Detroit and never gave the staff a reason to reconsider. He entered camp fighting for an NFL opportunity and left it as Washington's starting kicker.

EDGE Joshua Josephs

Joshua Josephs may have been the most consistent rookie riser of the entire summer. Once the pads came out, the fifth-round pick started showing the length, bend, and pass-rush traits Washington believed it was getting when it drafted him. Those flashes followed him through joint practices and into the preseason, including his fumble-recovery touchdown against Detroit. Josephs is no longer fighting just to stay on the roster. The more interesting question now is how many defensive snaps Washington can find for him during the regular season.

OT D.J. Humphries

D.J. Humphries didn't have months to make his case. He barely had days. Washington signed the veteran tackle late in camp after Laremy Tunsil's injury left the team searching for more reliable depth on the outside. His 101 career starts and extensive experience at left tackle gave Washington something the room was missing, and apparently the staff saw enough in a short evaluation window to keep him. Several offensive linemen spent the entire summer competing for those final spots, yet Humphries arrived late and still walked away with one.

EDGE Javontae Jean-Baptiste

Javontae Jean-Baptiste entered camp in a difficult position after missing most of last season and watching Washington add multiple pass rushers ahead of him. Then Josephs started surging, creating even more pressure on the former seventh-round pick. Jean-Baptiste responded by continuing to create disruptive reps and recording a sack against Detroit. Washington ultimately found room for both young edge rushers, which says plenty about how Jean-Baptiste performed when his roster spot was being challenged.

Javontae Jean-Baptiste with a great sack against the Lions in the preseason. pic.twitter.com/pcGmMnDfgm
— Tom Zwiller (@TomZwiller) August 22, 2026

Losers

RB Robert Henry Jr.

Robert Henry Jr. went from being one of Washington's biggest preseason stories to missing the initial 53. His 12-carry, 75-yard performance against Miami, which included a touchdown, made it look like the undrafted rookie might force Washington to find room for him. Detroit changed the conversation. Henry finished with minus-3 rushing yards and fumbled a kickoff late in the game, a costly mistake for someone whose path to the roster included special teams. He showed enough this summer to make the decision interesting, but Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, and Kaytron Allen ultimately won the numbers game.

Washington still valued Henry enough to bring him back on the practice squad, giving the rookie another opportunity to develop after losing the initial roster battle.

DT Byron Cowart

Byron Cowart appeared to have an opportunity once Johnny Newton's pectoral injury created more available snaps along the defensive line. Cowart showed some good things in limited work, but not enough to convince Washington he needed to be part of the initial rotation. Washington brought Cowart back on the practice squad Monday, but when an active-roster opening emerged along the defensive line, the Commanders chose to bring Shy Tuttle back instead.

Big body Byron Cowart making plays! 💪

📺 NFL Preseason on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/mqb553tJp7
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) August 22, 2026

OT Trent Scott

Trent Scott may have fallen more than anyone on this list. Earlier in camp, his familiarity with Washington and ability to provide veteran tackle depth made him look like a reasonable bet for the 53. Then Humphries arrived, changing the numbers, and Scott followed it with a rough performance against Baltimore that included a holding penalty and surrendered pressure. The timing could not have been worse. A player who once looked like one of Washington's safer depth options ultimately watched a veteran signed late in camp take the spot. Scott did return on the practice squad, but that doesn't change the result of the competition: Humphries got the active-roster spot while Scott ended up on the practice squad.

WR Van Jefferson

Van Jefferson entered camp with the benefit of NFL experience, but Washington's receiver room eventually became too crowded for experience alone to win him a job. Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs were never in question, while younger players such as Antonio Williams, Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks, and Jaylin Lane gave Washington either more upside or clearer roles. Jefferson was dependable, but there wasn't enough separating him from the younger options to justify another active roster spot.

LB Ale Kaho

Ale Kaho did just about everything he could in the preseason finale, leading Washington with seven tackles against Baltimore. Unfortunately for him, one strong final performance couldn't completely overcome the numbers at linebacker. Frankie Luvu, Sonny Styles, and Leo Chenal already had major roles, while Washington also had younger players competing for backup and special teams work. Kaho gave the staff something to think about right up until the end, but sometimes the roster math is already working against you.

Washington brought Kaho back on the practice squad, keeping him available as a linebacker and special-teams depth option despite losing the initial 53-man battle.

WR Jaden Bradley

Jaden Bradley was trending in the right direction before Baltimore. His one-handed 30-yard catch against Detroit was one of Washington's best offensive plays of the preseason, and his willingness to contribute on special teams gave him another avenue toward the roster. Then came the finale, when a false start and a fumbled kickoff return arrived at exactly the wrong time.

Missing the 53 doesn't mean Washington suddenly stopped believing in Bradley. Peters made that clear Monday as he discussed his development. "We think he has a future in this league," Peters said. Bradley lost the immediate roster battle, but that is very different from the organization giving up on the player. Washington reinforced Peters' point by bringing Bradley back on the practice squad Monday.

JADEN. BRADLEY.

📺 #WASvsDET @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/P3BjL7SG6A
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) August 22, 2026

DT Maurice Hurst II

Maurice Hurst II may be the most surprising loser on this side of the list. Against Detroit, Hurst produced five tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits in a performance that appeared to put him directly into Washington's plans after Newton went down. It wasn't enough. Washington left him off the initial 53 despite one of the best individual defensive performances of its preseason, another indication that the bottom of the defensive line remains far from settled. Unlike Cowart, Hurst wasn't among the defensive linemen Washington brought back on the practice squad, making his fall after that Detroit performance even more notable.

The final roster showed just how many different ways a player can win or lose a job over the course of one summer. Kaliakmanis, Stevens, Josephs, Togiai, Humphries, and Jean-Baptiste all found different paths onto the roster, while several players on the other side had legitimate chances that disappeared because of competition, mistakes, or simple roster math. When Peters was asked Monday how much being a draft pick factors into how long a player gets to prove himself, his answer was simple: "None." Quinn followed with an even clearer explanation of Washington's approach: "You got to earn everything in this league." The initial 53-man roster gave us the clearest evidence yet that they meant it.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow the Burgundy & Gold on Facebook and the Commanders on SI on X for the latest news. You can also subscribe to our Facebook Messenger News Channel, which is the fastest and easiest way to actually see our articles while on any Meta product.

Add us as a preferred source on Google