Skip to main content
Commander Country

Washington Commanders Updated Depth Chart After Final Roster Cuts

Washington’s final 53-man roster is set, but injuries, suspensions and evolving roles have created a much different depth chart heading into Week 1.
Philip Hughes|
Aug 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws passes during pregame warmups before their preseason game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Aug 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws passes during pregame warmups before their preseason game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In this story:

Washington Commanders

When the Washington Commanders released their initial 53-man roster, the team answered who survived the cuts, but didn't explain exactly how those players would be used on the field in Week 1. Injuries, along with Dorance Armstrong’s Week 1 suspension, have created a situation where the lineup the team envisioned may struggle to get on the field to begin the season. With all the changes since their last "unofficial" depth chart, an update based on the final roster, training-camp usage, preseason evidence, and what Dan Quinn and Adam Peters have said since the cuts is now needed. The question is no longer who made the roster, but who starts, who rotates, and which players have specific situational roles.

In This Article

  1. Commanders Projected Offensive Depth Chart
  2. Antonio Williams Emerges as Washington’s WR3
  3. Laremy Tunsil's Injury Reshaped the Offensive Line
  4. Washington's Defense Won't Fit Cleanly on a Depth Chart
  5. Sonny Styles Doesn't Fit Neatly Into One Line
  6. The EDGE Rotation Has a Week 1 Version and Another One Coming
  7. Trey Amos' Absence Changes the Cornerback Alignment
  8. Quan Martin Makes Safety More of a Rotation Than a Ranking
  9. Special Teams Has Far Fewer Questions

Commanders Projected Offensive Depth Chart

Commanders projected depth chart for Week 1
Projected Primary Roles/Rotation of the Washington Commanders offense. NOTE: Jeremy McNichols — Reserve/Injured, designated to return. | HTTR4LIFE LLC

Antonio Williams Emerges as Washington’s WR3

Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs are the easy part of Washington's wide receiver depth chart. McLaurin remains the clear No. 1, Diggs gives Jayden Daniels another proven option opposite him, and Antonio Williams has spent the summer establishing himself as the next man in line.

That doesn't necessarily mean Williams will line up in one place as a traditional WR3. His ability to play inside and outside gives offensive coordinator David Blough more freedom to move pieces around depending on the personnel grouping and matchup. Peters made it clear after cuts that keeping seven receivers wasn't about stacking them from one through seven. "And all those guys have a little bit different skill set and little different ways they can help our team," Peters said. "Some of them are better on special teams. Some of them are better inside, outside. And so, we wanted to keep a mix of all those guys."

Dyami Brown and Treylon Burks give the offense different vertical options behind McLaurin and Diggs, while Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane bring significant value on special teams. Washington didn't keep seven receivers because it intends to split the offensive workload evenly among them. It kept seven because each brings something different to the roster.

Laremy Tunsil's Injury Reshaped the Offensive Line

No position group changed more late in camp than the offensive line. Tunsil's triceps injury removed the player Washington expected to anchor the left side and forced the Commanders to rearrange a group that had already spent most of the summer moving pieces around.

The projected starting five now runs Brandon Coleman at left tackle, Chris Paul at left guard, Nick Allegretti at center, Sam Cosmi at right guard, and Josh Conerly Jr. at right tackle.

Coleman's previous experience on the left side made that transition possible, while Paul's ability to step into the left guard spot kept Washington from having to completely tear apart the rest of the line. "First, losing LT was a big deal, but very fortunate to have Brandon, who's played a lot of snaps out there at left tackle, and then having Chris to play a lot of snaps there at left guard, like DQ was alluding to, and then the right side," Peters said. "Those two guys have played a lot of football together."

Allegretti remains the expected answer at center despite missing much of camp with a calf injury. Peters said Washington still has "a ton of confidence in him," while rookie Matt Gulbin gives the Commanders another option after getting valuable work during Allegretti's absence.

Andrew Wylie may be the most important reserve because of how many positions he can cover, although the film shows he's better at guard. D.J. Humphries gives Washington veteran tackle insurance after arriving late in camp, while undrafted rookie Tanoa Togiai played well enough to earn one of the nine offensive line spots and gives the team another interior option with good strength.

The starting five is becoming clear. What happens if Washington needs to reach beyond it remains one of the bigger questions entering Week 1.

Washington's Defense Won't Fit Cleanly on a Depth Chart

Projected Primary Roles/Rotation of the Washington Commanders defense.
Projected Primary Roles/Rotation of the Washington Commanders defense. | HTTR4LIFE LLC

Trying to fit Daronte Jones' defense into a traditional starter-and-backup format only tells part of the story. Washington spent the summer working through different fronts and personnel combinations, and Quinn has already warned that the preseason showed only a small piece of what the defense will eventually become. "I like that we utilize different fronts," Quinn said. "In Daronte's package, there's some that are five and six guys down by the line, four guys down by the line. But I would say you saw a fraction of what I think we'll do." That makes the defensive chart less about identifying 11 permanent starters and more about figuring out which players are likely to make up the primary rotation.

Daron Payne, Tim Settle, and Javon Kinlaw sit at the center of the defensive front, with Charles Omenihu, Shy Tuttle, and Ricky Barber giving Washington different options depending on the package. Johnny Newton's absence removes one of the most disruptive interior defenders from that rotation and forces the group to lean even more heavily on its depth.

Sonny Styles Doesn't Fit Neatly Into One Line

Linebacker may be the best example of why a traditional depth chart can be misleading. Frankie Luvu remains one of the most important pieces of the defense, but Washington also has Sonny Styles and Leo Chenal fighting for snaps at what are technically only two inside linebacker positions. That doesn't mean one simply starts while the other waits his turn.

Styles brings the athleticism and versatility Washington coveted when it used the No. 7 pick on him, while Chenal gives Jones another experienced, physical option who can handle several responsibilities. Quinn has repeatedly discussed the defense through the lens of packages rather than static starting positions. "The first thing I would say, it's on the field who's going to play the most in the packages," Quinn said. That may be the best way to view Styles and Chenal entering the season. One can sit above the other on a depth chart while both still play meaningful snaps depending on what Washington wants to accomplish against a particular offense.

The EDGE Rotation Has a Week 1 Version and Another One Coming

Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson should sit at the top of Washington's EDGE rotation when healthy, but Week 1 presents an unusual situation. Dorance Armstrong's suspension temporarily removes another veteran pass rusher, leaving rookie Joshua Josephs and Javontae Jean-Baptiste with a larger opportunity behind Oweh and Chaisson. Josephs spent the summer forcing his way into the rotation, while Jean-Baptiste did enough to survive a crowded position battle of his own.

Oweh's health also remains worth watching after dealing with a calf injury. Quinn said Monday that he was "making a lot of progress," but Washington still has to get him through the final stages of preparation before knowing exactly what the opening-week snap distribution will look like.

Armstrong's return after Week 1 changes everything again. At that point, Washington suddenly has five legitimate edge options, and the younger players who benefited from his temporary absence will have to continue earning their place in the rotation.

Trey Amos' Absence Changes the Cornerback Alignment

The secondary Washington puts on the field against Philadelphia will not be the one it envisioned when camp began. Trey Amos opening the season on injured reserve leaves Rasul Douglas and Mike Sainristil as the primary outside options, with Amik Robertson naturally fitting into the nickel role and Fabian Moreau providing experienced depth after returning to the active roster.

Even those labels aren't permanent. Quinn has already discussed moving the corners around depending on matchup and personnel. "Rasul's got a lot of experience outside, too. So, you probably saw last week we also did Amik inside. And we thought that's also valuable, to have different guys in different locations to see what to do," Quinn said. "It also comes up when you sometimes match on some people — right side, left side, I'm inside, I'm outside." That flexibility becomes even more important while Amos is unavailable.

Washington could have pushed Amos toward a quicker return, but Peters said the team deliberately chose a more patient approach after the cornerback had played so little football since the middle of last season. His absence shouldn't be viewed as Amos losing his place in the secondary. It simply means the opening version of the depth chart has to function without him.

When Amos eventually returns, the ripple effect could reach Douglas, Sainristil, Robertson, and Moreau rather than resulting in a simple one-for-one replacement.

Quan Martin Makes Safety More of a Rotation Than a Ranking

The safety room has the same problem. Nick Cross brings proven production around the line of scrimmage, Jeremy Reaves remains one of Washington's most trusted communicators, and Quan Martin strengthened his case considerably with two interceptions during the preseason.

Martin's summer makes it difficult to treat him as a conventional backup. He looked increasingly comfortable in Jones' defense and gave Washington another player capable of changing the picture on the back end.

Cross, Martin, and Reaves should therefore be viewed more as Washington's primary safety rotation than as two starters and a reserve. Their snaps can change depending on whether Jones needs another defender in the box, a different coverage look, or a player capable of handling communication responsibilities.

Percy Butler and Tyler Owens remain part of the picture, but their immediate value is more heavily tied to special teams and situational defensive work.

Special Teams Has Far Fewer Questions

Washington's specialist jobs are much easier to sort out. Drew Stevens won the kicker competition outright, Tress Way remains one of the most established players on the roster, and Tyler Ott returns as the long snapper. Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey remain the logical return options after both made the roster partly because of the value they provide beyond the offense.

There may still be movement in the return game once Washington gets into weekly matchup planning, but the core specialist group is far more settled than most of the offensive and defensive depth chart.

The Depth Chart Will Keep Changing

Commanders
Aug 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Joshua Dobbs (6) scrambles out of the pocket against the Washington Commanders in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Washington's initial 53-man roster identified the players Quinn and Peters wanted to keep. This depth chart tells a different story because it attempts to show how those pieces are supposed to work together.

Williams' role at receiver, the Styles-Chenal combination at linebacker, Washington's secondary packages, and the EDGE rotation are all better understood through snaps and specific situations than a simple starter-backup designation.

And this version won't last long.

Armstrong becomes available after Week 1, while Amos and other injured players can eventually return and force Washington to reshuffle roles again. For now, this is the closest look at how the Commanders should line up when the season begins.

The roster decisions are settled for now. The next question is whether the combinations Washington spent the summer building and testing actually work when the games start counting.

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

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published | Modified
Philip Hughes
PHILIP HUGHES

Philip Hughes covers the Washington Commanders with a focus on daily news, film analysis, roster construction, player development, and the fan culture surrounding one of the NFL’s most scrutinized teams. A longtime sports writer and content creator, Hughes has spent more than 20 years building football audiences across the interwebs and following the daily beat of the NFC East. email: hailbng+si@gmail.com

Share on XFollow NFLFanzone
Home/News