The Washington Commanders opened training camp on Wednesday with 13 wide receivers on the 90-man roster. Ultimately, the team will keep six or seven on the final 53-man roster, with two or three additional players heading to the practice squad.
So, contributing in more than one area is imperative for those players battling for the final spots.
One of the players battling for one of those final receiver spots is Kazmeir Allen.
Remember last spring when former head coach Ron Rivera repeatedly praised Allen in offseason work?
Things didn’t work out for Allen last summer. Washington released Allen but quickly re-signed him to the practice squad.
The former undrafted free agent played running back in college before moving to receiver in his final season. Allen caught 49 passes at UCLA in 2022, and his quickness and return ability put him on the radar of NFL teams.
This year, Allen gets a fresh start under general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn.
On the first day of training camp, Wednesday, Allen did his best to make an early impression. Zach Selby of commanders.com offered the following observation on Allen’s productive day.
The Commanders’ receiver room is packed, and it’s likely that some players we’ve gotten used to over the years are on the roster bubble. One of those players is Kazmeir Allen, a 2023 undrafted free agent from UCLA. Allen caught two touchdowns today, both of which came from Daniels. Allen is one of the more experienced returners on the roster, as he made a career out of it during his college days. Whether he earns a spot will depend on if he can stand out among the several other players, both rookies and veterans alike, who are competing for a spot in the restructured kickoff. Perhaps Allen is ready for the next step after spending his rookie season on the practice squad.
That’s an excellent start for Allen. He must show he can deliver at receiver. The Commanders also need a punt returner, and Allen didn’t separate himself from the pack last summer, but he’s had a year of experience this time around.
Allen could be a fun weapon for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, but he will need more days like he had on Wednesday.