Commanders Set 53-Man Roster, Bring Back Hartman and 11 Others on Practice Squad

The Washington Commanders have completed the biggest round of roster decisions of the summer, establishing their initial 53-man roster and then bringing back 12 players on the practice squad Monday.

Washington’s roster has already undergone changes since Sunday’s cutdown. General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn placed offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton on injured reserve Monday, opening two roster spots. The Commanders used them to bring back veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle.

The Commanders also announced a 12-player practice squad that includes quarterback Sam Hartman, wide receiver Jaden Bradley and former Maryland defensive tackle Byron Cowart.

It leaves Washington with a roster that looks considerably different from the group that finished the 2025 season, but the most important piece remains the same: Jayden Daniels is the franchise quarterback.

Commanders keep three quarterbacks

One of Washington’s more interesting decisions came behind Daniels.

The Commanders kept veteran Marcus Mariota and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis on the active roster, while Hartman was released and subsequently returned on the practice squad.

Kaliakmanis earned the third quarterback position after a promising preseason. Washington’s own assessment credited the seventh-round rookie for showing improved pocket movement and the arm strength to give his receivers opportunities downfield.

That left Hartman on the outside of the initial 53, but Washington clearly was not ready to move on from him. His return gives the organization four quarterbacks between the active roster and practice squad.

Daniels remains the centerpiece. Entering his third NFL season, Daniels is now working in new offensive coordinator David Blough’s system. The Commanders have incorporated more work from under center and more play-calling from the huddle, and Quinn has praised Daniels’ increased decisiveness at the line of scrimmage.

Mariota, meanwhile, missed much of training camp with an MCL sprain, although Washington expects him to resume his role as Daniels’ primary backup.

Commanders load up at wide receiver

Washington elected to carry seven receivers, and it might be one of the most intriguing groups on the roster.

Terry McLaurin headlines a group that also includes the newly signed Stefon Diggs, Antonio Williams, Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey.

The Diggs addition changes the ceiling of the offense. Rather than asking McLaurin to shoulder most of the receiving burden, Washington can pair him with one of the NFL’s most accomplished veteran receivers.

Brown also returns to Washington after spending last season with Jacksonville, while Burks gives the Commanders another big-bodied target. Lane and McCaffrey provide receiving depth along with significant special-teams value.

Bradley did not crack that crowded group, but Washington made sure it retained the 6-foot-4 undrafted rookie on its practice squad.

Running back room takes shape

The active running backs are Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White and rookie Kaytron Allen.

Croskey-Merritt enters his second season after impressing Washington as a rookie. White adds experience and receiving ability, while Allen provides a more physical option who could become valuable in short-yardage situations.

Jeremy McNichols was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return during the cutdown process.

Washington then retained two more running backs on the practice squad: Robert Henry Jr. and veteran Craig Reynolds. That gives the Commanders considerable depth if injuries strike the active group.

Tunsil injury changes the offensive line

Perhaps the biggest concern entering the regular season is Washington’s offensive line.

Tunsil suffered a torn triceps and was officially placed on injured reserve Monday.

That is a significant loss. Washington acquired Tunsil to protect Daniels’ blind side, and now the Commanders have been forced to adjust before playing a meaningful snap.

Brandon Coleman has moved back to left tackle, with Chris Paul working at left guard. Nick Allegretti is expected to start at center once healthy, Sam Cosmi remains at right guard and Josh Conerly Jr. returns at right tackle.

The active offensive-line group also includes Andrew Wylie, DJ Humphries, Tanoa Togiai and rookie Matt Gulbin.

Julian Good-Jones and Trent Scott provide additional insurance on the practice squad.

Washington’s defense gets a new look

The defensive front will feature Daron Payne, Tim Settle Jr., Javon Kinlaw, Ricky Barber, Charles Omenihu and Tuttle.

Newton’s placement on injured reserve creates an immediate hole. Washington countered by bringing Tuttle back after initially releasing him.

The edge group includes former Baltimore Raven Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Joshua Josephs and Javontae Jean-Baptiste.

Oweh was one of Washington’s major offseason investments and gives defensive coordinator Daronte Jones a potentially explosive pass rusher. Washington’s official roster breakdown noted that Oweh has been dealing with a calf strain, another situation worth monitoring as Week 1 approaches.

At inside linebacker, Washington kept Frankie Luvu, rookie Sonny Styles, Leo Chenal, Kain Medrano and Jordan Magee.

Styles could become one of the more interesting rookies on the roster. His size and athleticism give Washington another versatile defensive piece, while Luvu’s ability to blitz should allow Jones to disguise pressure from multiple positions.

Secondary undergoes changes

Washington’s current cornerback group consists of Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson, Rasul Douglas and Moreau, while Trey Amos begins the season on injured reserve with a designation to return.

That makes the return of Moreau particularly important.

The Commanders kept Quan Martin, Nick Cross, Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler and Tyler Owens at safety. Martin had two preseason interceptions and earned praise from Quinn during camp.

Commanders’ 2026 roster

Washington’s current roster construction, after Monday’s IR moves, breaks down as follows:

• QB: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Athan Kaliakmanis
• RB: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen
• WR: Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Williams, Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey
• TE: Chig Okonkwo, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff
• OL: Brandon Coleman, Chris Paul, Nick Allegretti, Sam Cosmi, Josh Conerly Jr., Andrew Wylie, DJ Humphries, Tanoa Togiai, Matt Gulbin
• DL: Daron Payne, Tim Settle Jr., Javon Kinlaw, Ricky Barber, Charles Omenihu, Shy Tuttle
• OLB/EDGE: Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Joshua Josephs, Javontae Jean-Baptiste
• LB: Frankie Luvu, Sonny Styles, Leo Chenal, Kain Medrano, Jordan Magee
• CB: Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson, Rasul Douglas, Fabian Moreau
• S: Quan Martin, Nick Cross, Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler, Tyler Owens
• Specialists: Tress Way, Drew Stevens, Tyler Ott

Tunsil and Newton were part of the initial 53 before being moved to injured reserve Monday, with Moreau and Tuttle taking the open spots. Amos and McNichols are also on injured reserve with designations to return, while Deatrich Wise Jr. is on the reserve/PUP list.

Commanders announce 12-man practice squad

Washington retained a significant portion of its training-camp depth:

WR Jaden Bradley, DT Byron Cowart, CB Fred Davis II, C/G Julian Good-Jones, QB Sam Hartman, RB Robert Henry Jr., OLB D.J. Johnson, LB Ale Kaho, DT Jeffrey M’Ba, RB Craig Reynolds, CB Darius Rush and T/G Trent Scott.

Hartman is probably the most recognizable name, but Henry and Bradley are particularly interesting developmental players.

Cowart also provides experienced defensive-line depth. The former Maryland Terrapin has six seasons of NFL experience, according to Washington’s current roster listing.

Washington still has room to make additional practice-squad additions, so this group should not necessarily be considered finished.

MSB Take

This roster looks better at the skill positions than Washington’s 2025 group, but there are legitimate questions elsewhere.

Pairing McLaurin and Diggs with Daniels immediately makes the Commanders more dangerous. Washington also has enough receiver depth that Bradley could not make the 53 despite doing enough to earn a practice-squad spot. Okonkwo adds another receiving option at tight end, and White gives Daniels another weapon out of the backfield.

The concern is protection.

Losing Tunsil before Week 1 is a massive blow. Washington built this offense around keeping Daniels healthy and giving him enough weapons to attack defenses. Moving Coleman to left tackle can work, but it is not the configuration Washington envisioned when it assembled this roster.

There are similar questions defensively. Oweh gives Washington a legitimate athletic threat off the edge, Payne remains a major piece inside and Styles could become a difference-maker at linebacker. However, Newton’s injury reduces the defensive line’s depth, while Amos’ absence leaves the Commanders thin at cornerback.

Peters deserves credit for protecting some of the team’s developmental depth. Hartman, Bradley, Henry, M’Ba and Davis can continue developing without occupying active-roster positions, while veterans such as Cowart, Reynolds and Scott provide emergency options.

Most importantly, the roster is still built around Daniels.

If Daniels stays healthy and takes another step in Blough’s offense, Washington has enough offensive talent to cause problems in the NFC East. The difference between merely being competitive and becoming a legitimate playoff team could come down to whether the reshuffled offensive line can keep its franchise quarterback upright.

The 53-man roster deadline settled the biggest questions from training camp. It did not end Washington’s roster construction — and Peters’ moves over the next two weeks could be almost as important as the decisions he made this weekend.