Commanders 53-Man Roster Projection: Who Makes the Cut Before OTAs?

The Washington Commanders have more athleticism, competition, and scheme flexibility than they had a year ago, but that also means the final cut to 53 will be more difficult.

Jul 24, 2025; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Commanders players participate in drills during practice on day two of training camp at OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Washington Commanders are a franchise looking to rebound from an injury-riddled 2025 season in which their roster depth was put to the test. General Manager Adam Peters, fresh off his third restocking of the burgundy-and-gold shelves, is hopeful for a massive improvement over last year's five-win campaign, which led the franchise to move on from both coordinators.

Washington made it a focus to get younger and faster on both sides of the ball, and they did just that through free agency and the NFL Draft. This year's biggest additions are Ohio State LB Sonny Styles, edge rushers Odafe Oweh from the Chargers, and K'Lavon Chaisson from the Patriots, along with TE Chigoziem Okonkwo from the Titans and safety Nick Cross from the Colts.

This season's roster has its battles already set for the dog days of summer, when players start emerging from the pack. Look for some of the fiercest competition to come along the defensive line and within the linebacker corps as they learn what first-year defensive coordinator Daronte Jones expects out of them. Washington also has questions about how the receivers stack up behind Terry McLaurin and which running backs will ultimately survive the final cut to 53.

Below you'll find our first roster prediction of the year.

How We Sorted the Roster

Category	What It Means	Some Examples
Roster Locks	Players whose team role, contract, draft status, or overall importance make them extremely unlikely to be cut.	Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, Laremy Tunsil, Daron Payne, Frankie Luvu, Sonny Styles, Samuel Cosmi
Strong Bets	Players who are likely to make the team but still need their roles to be defined a bit more through camp and preseason.	Luke McCaffery, Ben Sinnott, Treylon Burks, Quan Martin, Javon Kinlaw, Brandon Coleman, Charles Omenihu
Bubble Players	Players whose final roster decision depends on their ability to play special teams, injuries to other players, or preseason performance.	Van Jefferson, Percy Butler, Trent Scott, Nick Bellore, Colson Yankoff, Tyler Owens, Dyami Brown, Ahkello Witherspoon, Jerome Ford
Practice Squad Watch	Players who may not make the initial 53-man roster, but could remain in the organization if they clear waivers and the team decides to bring them back.	It's always hard to gauge who makes the practice squad, given how many players get released right before the season.

First 53-Man Roster Prediction (Pre-OTAs)

Offense (26)

• Quarterback: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota
• Running Back: Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Jeremy McNichols, Kaytron Allen
• Wide Receiver: Terry McLaurin, Luke McCaffery, Treylon Burks, Antonio Williams, Jaylin Lane, Dyami Brown, Van Jefferson
• Tight End: Chigoziem Okonkwo, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff
• Guard: Samuel Cosmi, Chris Paul, Brandon Coleman
• Tackle: Laremy Tunsil, Josh Conerly Jr, Andrew Wylie, Trent Scott
• Center: Nick Allegretti, Matt Gulbin

Defense (24)

• Edge: Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, Dorance Armstrong, Joshua Josephs
• Defensive Tackle: Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, Tim Settle, Jer’Zhan Newton, Charles Omenihu
• Linebacker: Sonny Styles, Frankie Luvu, Leo Chenal, Jordan Magee, Kain Medrano, Nick Bellore
• Cornerback: Trey Amos, Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson, Ahkello Witherspoon
• Safety: Nick Cross, Quan Martin, Will Harris, Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler

Special Teams (3)

• Punter: Tress Way
• Place-Kicker: Jake Moody
• Long-Snapper: Tyler Ott

If I had to pick one position set that appears thin, I'd say the depth in the cornerback room is a bit concerning. While there are plenty of players currently signed, not many jump off the page at you beyond Mike Sainristil, Trey Amos, Amik Robertson, or Ahkello Witherspoon. Perhaps as camp progresses, a player worthy of making room for a fifth corner will emerge. Until then, that's shaping up to be a four-man room.

This first roster projection offers more insight into Commanders GM Adam Peters' roster construction than it does any single player's chance to stand out at OTAs or camp. Washington has more athleticism, competition, and scheme flexibility than it had a year ago, but that also means the final cut to 53 will be more difficult. This year's roster is full of players on the bubble, as well as several open-position battles (expect the most competition at safety, receiver, defensive line, running back, and linebacker). Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we take a look at all other things Washington Commanders as we gear up for the 2026-27 NFL Season.

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