Training Camp – Rise & Fall – Part 4

August 28, 2023

By Noonefromtampa

The Washington Commanders played the Cincinnati Bengals in their last preseason, which the Commanders won 21-19 to finish 3-0 in the preseason. No word yet if 75 year old Tony Kornheiser is preparing the Bandwagon again. For those of you don’t recognize that reference, Kornheiser wrote a famous series of columns for The Washington Post during the 1991 Redskins Super Bowl season, known as the Bandwagon columns. He and several other Post reporters drove to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis in an RV nicknamed the Bandwagon.

Most of the starters from both teams didn’t play or played very little, so the game got sloppy at times with penalties and poor tackling. This was the last chance a lot of the players will have to put their performance on tape for coaches. All roster reductions must be complete by 4:00 P.M. Eastern on Tuesday.

Beware The Turk cometh, here are my roster projections. [Releases will probably start showing up on social media on Monday as players start to get notifications.]

Quarterbacks

Jacoby Brissett started in place of Sam Howell and played behind most of the starting offensive line but with backup at the skill positions. He went 10 of 15 for 96 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Jake Fromm played most of the game and his second straight, second half, come from behind win in the preseason. He looked very comfortable in the offense going 13 for 18 for 144 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions with a passing rating of 132.6. The big question is going to whether the Commanders keep 2 or 3 quarterbacks on the roster going into the season. If they keep three, Fromm makes the roster.

Keep: 2

53-Man Roster: Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett

Practice Squad: Jake Fromm

Wide Receivers

The Commanders took a long look at Kazmeir Allen, Brycen Tremayne and Mitchell Tinsley. Tinsley had 3 receptions on 4 targets with 89 yards and a 39-yard touchdown. He almost had a second touchdown, but the call was overturned as the ball went out of bounds before crossing the plane of the goal line. Tremayne also had 3 catches on 4 targets for 26 yards and a touchdown. Allen had 2 drops on 2 targets and fumbled a punt return, not a stellar night for him. Bryan Pringle and Dax Milne were both 1 catch on 3 targets, but Milne dropped a potential first down catch, forcing a punt.

Keep: 6

53-Man Roster: Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Jahan Dotson, Dyami Brown, Bryon Pringle, Mitchell Tinsley

Practice Squad: Marcus Kemp,  Kazmeir Allen

Probable Releases: Dax Milne, Zion Bowens, Kyric McGowan, Brycen Tremayne

Running Backs

Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson did not play in the game. The other four running backs collectively had 25 carries for 150 yards and six yard per carry average. Chris Rodriguez solidified his spot as third running back with 7 carries for 52 yards and a 7.4 yard per carry average.

Keep: 3

53-Man Roster: Brian Robinson, Antonio Gibson, Chris Rodriguez

Practice Squad: Jaret Patterson

Probable Releases: Jonathan Williams, Derrick Gore

Tight Ends

John Bates played but was not targeted. Cole Turner had four catches on four targets, several for first downs. The coaches seemed to be getting Turner some extra game reps to prepare him for the opener. Bradon Dillion had two catches on two targets with a touchdown reception on a Fromm pass. Curtis Hodges and Alex Armah both had one catch on one target. [Armah is technically a fullback.]

Keep: 4

53-Man Roster: Logan Thomas, John Bates, Cole Turner, Alex Armah

Practice Squad: Curtis Hodges

Probable Release: Kaden Smith, Brandon Dillion

Offensive Line

The starting interior line began the game with Brissett, while Cornelius Lucas and Trenton Scott started at left and right tackle respectively. Scott moved to the side in the second quarter with Alex Akingbulu manning the right tackle spot. It looked like the coaches tried out players in different positions during the game trying to finalize who get the final spots on the roster. The hardest call is Scott who is versatile and three years younger than Lucas. If the Commanders keep 10 offensive linemen, Scott may make the roster.

Keep: 9

53-Man Roster: Charles Leno Jr., Saahdiq Charles, Nick Gates, Sam Cosmi, Andrew Wylie, Chris Paul, Tyler Larsen, Cornelius Lucas, Ricky Stromberg

Practice Squad: Trenton Scott, Mason Brooks, Braeden Daniels

Probable Releases: Alex Akingbulu, Jaryd Jones-Smith, Aaron Monteiro, Nolan Laufenberg

Defensive Line

As a group, they did not tackle well against the Bengals, allowing running backs to gain additional yardage after the initial hit. Casey Toohill had a much better game this week with two tackles and three quarterback hurries. Efe Obada, William Bradley-King , Abdullah Anderson, Andre Jones Jr, each also had a quarterback hurry. With this deep group there are only one or two open spots on the roster. I expect this to be a deep group on the practice squad.

Keep: 9

53-Man Roster: Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat, Phidarian Mathis, Efe Obada, John Ridgeway, James Smith-Williams, Casey Toohill

Practice Squad: Abdullah Anderson, K.J. Henry, Andre Jones Jr. , Benning Potoa’e

Probable Releases: Will Bradley-King, Curtis Brooks, Joshua Pryor, Isaiah Mack

Linebackers

Khaleke Hudson had a good game, with three tackles, including two for losses. Milo Eifler had four combined tackles and a pass defense while De’Jon Harris had eight combined tackles. I think whether the team keeps 4 or 5 linebackers depends on the injury situation at other positions. Eifler and Harris both could be placed on the practice squad initially and brought up as need the first few weeks.

Keep: 5

53-Man Roster: Cody Barton, Jamin Davis, David Mayo, Khaleke Hudson, Milo Eifler

Practice Squad: De’Jon Harris

Cornerbacks

While a lot of secondary starters were withheld from the game, Christian Holmes and Tariq Castro-Fields got the starts at cornerback with Jartavius Martin at the hybrid nickelback position. Both Holmes and Castro-Fields had three tackles, and Castro-Fields also has a pass defense. Jace Whittaker had an interception in the end zone on a tipped ball to end a Bengals drive last in the second quarter, plus two pass defenses. The biggest questions in this group are whether Danny Johnson will be ready week one and whether Martin gets included in this group when counting the players.

Keep: 6

53-Man Roster: Emmanuel Forbes, Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste, Danny Johnson, Christian Holmes, Tariq Castro-Fields

Practice Squad: Rachad Wildgoose, Jace Whittaker

Probable Releases: D.J. Stirgus, Nick Whiteside II, DaMarcus Fields

Safeties

Jartavius Martin seemed a lot more comfortable in the defense this week. He made 5 tackles, several good open field tackles. Jeremy Reaves showed his can play safety as well as excel on special teams. Terrell Burgess had four tackles and a pass defense that prevented a touchdown, in an extended look. It will be hard for him to make the final roster, though, unless Martin is counted with the cornerbacks. Kendall Smith tipped the ball on the Whittaker interception.

Keep: 5

53-Man Roster: Percy Butler, Kamren Curl, Darrick Forrest, Jartavius “Quan” Martin, Jeremy Reaves

Practice Squad: Terrell Burgess

Probable Releases: Ferrod Gardner, Joshua Kalu, Kendall Smith

Special Teams

Tress Way looked to be in mid-season form in his first action of the preseason. Joey Slye hit all three extra point attempts. It did not look like Camaron Cheeseman rolled any snaps back to the holder in this game.

53-Man Roster: Tress Way, Joey Slye and Camaron Cheeseman