Tag: 2024 Commanders 53-Man Roster

Commanders announce two new roster moves

The Commanders officially add a new kicker and sign an interesting prospect to the practice squad.

Tuesday, the Washington Commanders made one expected move and signed a local college project.

As expected, the Commanders, after releasing kicker Cade York, officially signed kicker Austin Seibert to the active roster.

Tress Way will love this move, as Seibert and Way both played for the Oklahoma Sooners. Seibert scored 499 points in his college career, an NCAA record at the time. The Browns used a fifth-round pick on Seibert in the 2019 draft, while Way went undrafted and signed with Washington after being released by the Bears in 2014.

York missed both field goal attempts in a Week 1 road loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs. In addition, York also erred, sending a kickoff out of bounds. He had come to the Commanders via a conditional draft pick if he performed well enough to be on the Commanders roster for two games. Thus, Adam Peters made the move, releasing York on Monday, retaining the draft selection.

Astute Commanders fans will recall Seibert kicking for the Jets in this season’s preseason opener. He has played in 31 games in five NFL seasons, making 80.4% of 56 field goal attempts and 90.3% of his extra points.

“I think it just really goes to show we have really high standards,” head coach Dan Quinn said during his Monday press conference. “That’s kind of where we’re at to say, ‘Hey, we’re knocking back off of this’…not one time to keep attacking and finding ways to go get better.”

Seibert has already been around the NFL block a couple of times, kicking for the Browns (2019-20), Bengals (2020), Lions (2021-22) and the Jets (2023). Here are his complete NFL stats.

Tuesday, the Commanders also added rookie offensive tackle Anim Dankwah to the practice squad. The 6-foot-8, 353-pound tackle was a First-Team All-MEAC tackle while playing for Howard University. Initially, Dankwah was an undrafted free agent of the Philadelphia Eagles.

 

Commanders release WR Byron Pringle

Who returns kickoffs for the Commanders on Sunday?

Nothing has come easy for Byron Pringle.

On Friday, the Commanders, conducting their final practice before flying to Tampa, released the wide receiver, who came into the league undrafted in 2018.

The majority of those following the Commanders closely believed that Pringle had made the 53-man roster to provide a veteran receiver who would also return kickoffs.

This raises the question of who the Commanders use on Sunday to return kickoffs. Would they promote Kazmeir Allen from the practice squad to handle the duty?

Or might they have Olamide Zaccheaus help return kickoffs? However, Zaccheaus, in his five seasons, has only returned three punts and two kickoffs. Jamison Crowder has again retained the job of punt returner.

The release of Pringle also raises the question of whether the coaching staff felt another receiver on the practice squad was looking better on the practice fields than Pringle and was consequently determined to make the move.

It could also be that the team has signed and brought in receiver Noah Brown, who makes Pringle expendable. This would allow the Commanders to bring up someone else from the practice squad at another position where they feel the need is more urgent.

Pringle, who played at Kansas State, signed with the Chiefs in May of 2018 and was waived in the preseason of both 2018 and 2019 before returning to play three seasons for the Chiefs (2019-21).

After being with the Bears in 2022, Pringle was a rather late signee to Washington in 2023. Since March 2023, Pringle had been a free agent, and no team had signed him. In late July, after the mini camps were completed, Washington suddenly signed Pringle, most likely an Eric Bieniemy choice from coaching Pringle in Kansas City.

Pringle caught 14 passes for 161 yards (11.5) in 2023 for the Commanders.

Former Commanders’ third-round pick Stromberg was waived/injured

An update on former third-round pick Ricky Stromberg.

On August 27, the Commanders, trimming their roster from 90 to the NFL requirements of 53, released many players, including G/C Ricky Stromberg.

On Monday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that Stromberg, who injured his knee midway through his rookie season, recently underwent a knee scope. Consequently, he will not be available for about two months.

This explains last week’s surprise when Stromberg was not brought back and signed to the practice squad. One day later, on August 28, the Commanders signed 12 players to the practice squad, including G Julian Good-Jones but not Stromberg. Also signed to the practice squad was G Max Scharping (age 28). Out of Northern Illinois, this is Scharping’s sixth season. He is listed at 6-6, 327, and has been issued Joe Jacoby’s old No. 66.

The former Arkansas Razorback was a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft during the Ron Rivera era. Stromberg was selected No. 97 overall, though analysts were quick to remind fans that he was projected somewhat later.

Stromberg was not picked up by any other NFL club, to our knowledge. Also, the Commanders’ website lists CB Bobby Price and DT Sheldon Day as actually being on their roster rather than the practice squad. Surely, that is a clerical error, and they have yet to notice, correct?

https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1830735949430415411

Once Stromberg is cleared, he’ll likely join another team.

Commanders’ GM Adam Peters: ‘We are trying to win now’

Peters talked about the Dotson trade and trading to teams within the division.

George Allen came to Washington in 1971, became the head coach and general manager, and proclaimed, “The future is now.”

Adam Peters boarded the Washington NFL ship in 2024, and he again told Grant & Danny (106.7 the Fan) Thursday, “It’s not a rebuild; it’s a recalibration.”

This being his first time as a team’s general manager, Peters expressed to Grant and Danny, “We are trying to win right now. We do have goals to be really good this season.”

In recent history, the NFL has had a team each season rebound really well from a really down year the previous season. Last season, it was the Houston Texans, who had been 3-13-1 in 2022 and fired Lovie Smith. They hired Demeco Ryans, drafted C.J. Stroud, and finished 10-7 atop the AFC South in 2023.

Peters feels the responsibility on his shoulders to get the Commanders turned around in 2023 after not having a winning regular season since Kirk Cousins was the quarterback in 2015 (9-7) and 2016 (8-7-1). “It is my job as a general manager and really in conjunction with DQ  (Dan Quinn), and we make every decision together, is to be good now and to build for a sustainable team for the future, a team you guys will see compete for championships every year.”

It’s a delicate balance, but Peters and Quinn are attempting to make decisions not simplistically based on winning now or winning in the future. They seek to embrace both—getting better for 2024 and beyond.

As for why he traded receiver Jahan Dotson to division rival Philadelphia, Peters expressed, “That was clearly the best offer. A tie is going to go to the team outside the division. But there’s not always going to be a tie. In this case, they (Eagles) were very bullish on Jahan, and rightfully so. But every time, it is going to be different. If it’s the Cowboys and the Steelers, and everything is the same, and we are making a trade, it’s probably going to go to Pittsburgh.”

Why is Commanders’ Dan Quinn losing sleep this week

This is not an easy week for Dan Quinn.

In a few days, on Tuesday, August 27, NFL teams must reduce their roster from 90 to a maximum of 53 players before 4:00 p.m ET.

That is a lot of decisions that need to be made from the end of Washington’s Sunday night home game against the Patriots until Tuesday by 4 p.m.

Dan Quinn led an energetic training camp that ended Friday. “I am pleased as we’re heading out of camp,” Quinn told the press.

However, what looms ahead is not allowing Quinn to relax or enjoy the fact that the team has just completed his first Washington Commanders training camp.

“The way we look at it is that it’s a 70-man roster… it’s always a hard conversation for the ballplayer, whether a veteran or a rookie.” By 70, Quinn refers to the 53-man roster and then the 17-man practice squad that teams can construct after each released player has an opportunity to sign with another club.

 “There’s a lot (that keeps me up at night)… a lot of that has to do with what’s to come…” Quinn spoke of getting to know the person, not merely the player, making it even harder when it comes to the cut-down days.

“It’s a hard conversation walking into that room because you’re not coming with good news,” Quinn spoke of talking with some players, telling them what they would need to see if the player makes it back to them on the Practice Squad.

In addition, Quinn offered, “If a player’s not coming back, I try to give him some things to work on in case he has another opportunity elsewhere.”

Commanders’ Brycen Tremayne working, competing for a spot

Brycen Tremayne looking to make the 53-man roster this time around.

Brycen Tremayne is competing each day, hoping to win a spot on the 2024 Commanders’ regular-season roster.

“I think the mindset coming in each day is just to compete and just keep getting better every day and learn from the veteran guys in the room that have been in the league for a long time.”

The 6-foot-4 receiver from Stanford talked with Craig Hoffman Tuesday about working hard and being competitive.

“You couldn’t ask for anything better than a room that’s competitive. It pushes you to get better; it pushes the guy next to you to get better. The whole room rises when everyone’s competing.”

Tremayne spoke of spending time with Terry McLaurin last year, asking questions, listening, and learning how he ran routes, winning early and late in routes.

“You can take bits and pieces from every person in the room and implement them into your own game and make yourself better.”

He doesn’t believe he can rest on his talent and thinks he learned this growing up.

“Going back to college, to high school, it’s my mindset. Maybe it’s through my family that hard work will bring good things. So, I just try to bring that every day. If it works out, it works out. And it doesn’t, then I worked as hard as I could.”

Tremayne did a good job on special teams at Stanford, and he realizes that if he is to make the Commanders’ 53-man roster, he will need to play well on teams again.

“I was doing gunner all during college. I did gunner all last year in camp and preseason and this year I moved to more PP (Personal Protector), being more versatile, able to play more positions whether on kickoffs or punts. At the end of the day, it’s just effort play. I play with a lot of effort, so it’s good for me.”

 

Jamison Crowder wants to have a good showing for Commanders this preseason

The veteran is in a battle to make Washington’s 53-man roster.

Former Redskins and Jets receiver Jamison Crowder is looking forward to Saturday’s preseason opener for the Commanders.

Crowder, drafted out of Duke by Washington in 2015 (105 overall), spent his first four seasons (2015-18) with the Redskins before moving over to the Jets for three seasons (2019-21).

Now age 31, Crowder is trying to make an impression on the new coaching staff, working hard to make the 53-man roster this season.

Having Joe Gibbs and Darrell Green at training camp practice Tuesday was inspiring for Crowder. “It was great to have greats like that who have come through this league and done great things in other areas of life. It was great to have them come out here and talk to the team. You got to take something from what they say and try to apply it to my life. I hope the other guys do that as well.”

New owner Josh Harris is certainly spending money, trying to upgrade facilities to help his players. Crowder noted the AstroTurf field that sat there useless for years, but was recently torn up and moved out by Harris. “I obviously see the changes they are trying to make around here, and now we will be able to better utilize that field…I think it is for the better.”

A successful preseason opener Saturday for Crowder, he says, would be to make a good showing, execute, and avoid injuries. Crowder is fully aware that Adam Peters has drafted Luke McCaffrey, brought back Kazmeir Allen, Brycen Tremayne, and Byron Pringle, and signed Olamide Zaccheaus and undrafted Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint.

Peters also signed free agent receiver Damiere Byrd. However, he and Dax Milne have already been waived. Dyami Brown has disappointed and is in his fourth training camp with Washington. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson are clearly the starters.

Crowder last season played in all 17 games, catching 16 passes for 159 yards (9.9 YPR) one touchdown and eight first downs. He was also the primary punt returner (35-278, 7.9 (YPR). His biggest play of the season was a 61-yard punt return in Atlanta against the Falcons.