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The Washington Commanders got things settled with Terry McLaurin, but there is still roster murkiness with the backup quarterback spot. Also, the Commanders faced tough choices, and here is their most surprising 53-man roster cut before the 2025 NFL season.
First, let’s talk about the elephant. The Commanders have the oldest roster in the NFL in at least 10 years. The average age is 28.1 years old.
So while Clelin Ferrell fits the age profile by turning 28 earlier this year, he didn’t make the cut. And that’s a surprise. The Commanders were his third team, so it’s not like he hasn’t been here before. He played for the Raiders and 49ers before. But he made 10 starts last year and seemed like a good bet to hang on to a roster spot.
Remember, this is a guy who went No. 4 in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Commanders’ edge room now has Dorance Armstrong and Deatrich Wise Jr. as starters. Jalyn Holmes and Javonte Jean-Baptiste are the backups.
Say what you want about whether it was surprising to see Ferrell go. But you don’t have to study the four remaining edge rushers to see that the Commanders are sorely lacking in that area. Yes, Von Miller should provide relief from his linebacker position.
But it’s hard to imagine the Commanders feeling great about their ability to get to the quarterback. In fact, it could be the thing that keeps them from reaching last year’s success level. And so, any veteran cut from that group raises some eyebrows.
Perhaps the Commanders will be able to get Ferrell back on their practice squad. If so, all is well, because he’s mainly a depth piece anyway.
It’s all part of the overall roster picture. So let’s look at all of the positions.
The Commanders went with three quarterbacks, keeping veteran Josh Johnson and parting ways with Sam Hartman. Presumably, the Commanders could have kept Hartman, put him on the practice squad, and rolled with two. That would have opened a spot up for Ferrell.
At the running back position, the Commanders rolled with four players. Included in the mix was rookie surprise Bill Croskey-Merritt, who has earned praise from head coach Dan Quinn, according to commanders.com.
“I like the skills that we’re seeing from Bill,” Quinn said after the Bengals game. “And I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen so far. I know he was amped and ready to go for tonight, but he makes plays; he’s got quickness. I love the ball security that he had tonight. Those are important things that you can’t overlook.”
One thing that hurt Ferrell was keeping four tight ends, with Zach Ertz leading the way and blocking specialist John Bates drawing praise.
“There’s not many guys walking the Earth that can do what John Bates does,” Ertz said. “I knew he was gonna have the opportunity to make a...
