Signing you in

LinkThe preseason schedule is complete, and NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 players on Sunday afternoon. Both rookies and veterans alike were released, with different rules applying for each. Players with fewer than four accrued seasons must pass through the waiver wire to become unrestricted free agents. An accrued season is defined as six or more games on either a team’s roster, injured reserve, or physically unable to perform list. Players that have four or more accrued seasons are immediately free agents and don’t have to go through waivers.

Commanders GM Adam Peters continues to build the talent of the roster in his third year at the helm, but some positions are still deficient as quarterback Jayden Daniels enters a critical third season. The following is a list of players that Peters could consider following the cutdown deadline. Some are subject to waivers. Keep in mind that relatively few players are claimed during this period, and last year Washington submitted no claims.

This year may be different, as the team finds themselves with obvious needs, especially along the offensive line. The Commanders hold the seventh spot on the waiver order by virtue of last season’s 5-12 finish, so they should have an opportunity to add some talent if they see the right fit. Any player claimed on waivers needs to go directly on the 53-man roster.

A 33-year-old NFL veteran, Lucas Patrick was originally an undrafted free agent signed by the Green Bay Packers. After spending a few years with the team, he continued his career with several different teams, including the Chicago Bears (2022-2023), New Orleans Saints (2024), and Cincinnati Bengals (2025).

With limited veteran experience available, the Commanders may choose to look for a newer, high-upside addition. An undrafted free agent acquisition of the Baltimore Ravens, Dawkins originally came out of Penn State and has already caught the eye of Hogs Haven writer MattInBrisVegas. He included the Penn State graduate in his pre-draft center roundup, citing Dawkins’ plus athleticism and blocking metrics.

In 2025, he split rushing between gap and zone concepts. According to Williams, he thrives on inside zone runs, where he generates movement, with length and mobility to reach, seal, and climb effectively to the second level.

Dawkins received plenty of run in the preseason behind Ethan Pocic, as Danny Pinter went out early with a knee injury and last year’s backup Corey Bullock missed time during the preseason. Nick’s draft profile indicates he is a high IQ player that GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn seem to look for in a player. Functional strength and experience are needed, but the upside is there.

Sam Cosmi has the starting right guard position locked down, but Chris Paul won the left guard spot by default after Brandon Coleman took over left tackle for Laremy Tunsil. He has reportedly struggled in camp this season, but the team has yet to field a legitimate contender for the starting role. At a minimum the team needs to upgrade the depth at the position. The team kept undrafted guard Tanoa Togiai, but will most certainly look for an upgrade.

Peters may need to get creative and try to convert a tackle to acquire a starting-level talent. Originally drafted as tackle prospect, the Giants switched No. 7 overall selection Evan Neal to guard during the 2025 season, but the project never got off the ground due to setbacks from an offseason ankle surgery. New Giants head coach John Harbaugh saw something in Neal and offered him a one-year contract to stay with the team in 2026, and while he has reportedly shown some progress this offseason, Neal was cut by the Giants on Sunday.

Fans may be skeptical of his potential, but a film review of his play at guard by SB Nation’s Big Blue View is encouraging.

It is not all positive, as his height works against him when trying to create leverage, he tends to lunge at times, and his overall game is inconsistent. Still, for a player available in late August, Neal represents potential the Washington Commanders do not currently have at the position. The team had some success reclaiming Ereck Flowers in 2019; perhaps Evan Neal could be the next Giants tackle to succeed for them at the guard position.

A sixth-round selection of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024, Elijah Klein is profiled with NFL length and power but average athleticism. He offers the desired versatility with 55 collegiate starts, including right guard, tackle, and guard/center flexibility.

While the Elijah’s athleticism may be lacking for a zone scheme, he offers power and a mauling style that the Commanders seem to lack in the run game. The problem is Klein only has 26 career offensive snaps and is a complete unknown at the NFL level. This does not mean Elijah doesn’t have talent, though, as the Buccaneers have one of the better offensive lines in football. Klein struggled in the preseason but did work at center for a good portion of training camp. He might not be the answer for the Commanders’ starting guard problem, but his versatility and toughness would upgrade the interior line depth.

The team added D.J. Humphries last week to bolster their tackle depth. He is not the same player he was before his ACL injury in 2023 but represents reasonable depth. Behind him, Trent Scott showed signs of slowing down this season and did not make the final roster. While the team will most likely sign him to the practice squad, they may opt to acquire waiver options as well.

“Tank” Lichtenhan signed as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens following the 2025 NFL draft. As a draft prospect, he was listed as a 6-foot-8, 315-pound tackle and started his college career at the University of Colorado before transferring to Oregon for his senior season. He has good length and the footwork to mirror defenders in pass protection with the ability to hit his markers in a zone-scheme. In a pre-draft interview with the Draft Network, the left tackle described his skill set:

I prefer to be utilized as an athlete in space. The phone booth is a little tougher when you have such long arms like I do. You almost have too much time to line up your target and use your leverage. I think I’m a great athlete when you get me in space.

You may see his full HH draft profile here. The big weaknesses cited for Christian-Lichtenhan were a lack of technique, size and college production. The Ravens stashed him on the practice squad for a year, and he is now listed at 330 pounds. Tank had 176 out of 208 offensive snaps this preseason and showed technique improvement to go along with his increased weight. He would probably replace Tanoa Togiai to start while working towards a role as a swing tackle.

Trey Amos was placed on the injured/designated to return list before final cuts, and while the team was already planning on his absence with Rasul Douglas filling in alongside Mike Sainristil and Amik Robertson, they will need to add someone. Fabian Moreau was cut but will most likely be brought back or placed on the practice squad shortly. Given Amos’ extended absence, they could still use another addition at the cornerback position.

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, Longerbeam suffered a knee injury and spent his first season with the Ravens on injured reserve. The former Rutgers Knight has bounced back strong, though, with a solid showing this summer, but ultimately was caught in a numbers game in Baltimore’s cornerback room. Weighing in at 5-11 and 175 pounds, Robert is on the lighter side for an NFL cornerback but has plus athleticism.

Longerbeam’s potential for Washington is tied mostly to his scheme fit. From his NFL Draft Buzz profile:

The corner brings legitimate value in zone coverage schemes where his awareness and closing quickness become assets rather than liabilities. Defensive systems that ask corners to play with their eyes on the quarterback will maximize his ball skills while sheltering him from the physical battles that currently overpower him. Despite the positional versatility that could place him outside or in the slot, his technical refinement hasn’t fully compensated for physical shortcomings that show up when bigger receivers simply box him out at the catch point.

Longerbeam needs a lot of technical refinement, but it might be worth Daronte Jones’ time to see what he could add to the secondary. Robert has plus ball skills, with 5 interceptions, 37 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries, and five forced fumbles in college.

With Amos out for a minimum of four games, the Commanders could use a veteran addition to their room. Fabian Moreau will most likely return to the roster, but while he brings added size, as an older veteran there are some injury concerns.

While the Washington Commanders would appear to be set at the linebacker position, one talent available on the waiver wire might still catch their eye.

A third-round selection of the Chargers in the 2023 NFL Draft, Colson played his college football at Michigan under the head coaching of Jim Harbaugh. Colson was a promising draft prospect but saw his rookie campaign shortened with an ankle injury before missing the entirety of his sophomore season with a shoulder injury. A three-down linebacker with athleticism and cover skills, Colson mainly seemed to be a player that needed to improve his instincts and techniques.

The Washington Commanders could provide him with additional time to recover and refine his skills before Frankie Luvu’s contract expires at the end of the season. Junior would make for an intriguing add at the cost of moving Kain Medrano off the roster.

The Commanders also moved Laremy Tunsil and Johnny Newton to injured reserve, allowing them to rehab major injuries

The Commanders also placed defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. on the physically unable to perform list

The Commanders have trimmed their roster to 53 players, though more moves are expected before the regular season starts

Which Commanders players are subject to waivers in 2026? Waiver wire rules, explained.

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