By admin 
After falling to the Detroit Lions in their second preseason game of the year, holes in the Commanders’ roster became more and more evident. With shuffling across the offensive line and secondary, the Commanders look to their final preseason matchup against the Ravens to evaluate who they’ll keep on the final 53-man roster come Week 1.
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Not the quarterback controversy people are thinking of
It’s frankly a miracle Sam Hartman has lasted in the Commanders organization as long as he has. Athan Kaliakmanis came into the preseason as a seventh-round pick with little expectation of seeing playing time during the regular season. However, with Marcus Mariota currently sidelined with an MCL injury, Kaliakmanis has emerged as the clear favorite to serve as Jayden Daniels’ backup. Completing 11 of 14 pass attempts for 162 yards against Detroit, Kaliakmanis displayed strong poise and confidence in the pocket, posting a 114.9 passer rating with zero turnovers.
With one more chance to prove he’s a good fit for this offense, Kaliakmanis needs to take a few more shots downfield and show off the arm strength he was known for at Rutgers. The Commanders’ pass-catchers struggled all day in their joint practice against the Ravens, and Kaliakmanis will need to put the ball exactly where it needs to be against a tight Baltimore secondary looking to generate as many turnovers as possible. As he fights for his roster spot, he can help out tight end Colson Yankoff and wide receivers Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown as they fight for their own spot on the team.
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Undrafted running back makes final push
With the Commanders needing depth at other positions, it’s unlikely they’ll carry five running backs, making the odds even smaller for Robert Henry Jr. to make the team. After getting the ball four times against Detroit and finishing with minus-3 yards, Henry will need a monstrous day against the Ravens to prove he’s worth keeping around. With the first two running back spots occupied by Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, the final two spots are likely to be rounded out by Jeremy McNichols and Kaytron Allen.
Granted, the offensive line was nothing short of awful against the Lions and during practice this week, but if Henry wants to make the team, he’ll need to overcome the lack of support and make an early impact in Baltimore. He’ll also need to prioritize ball security over shifty moves, as he lost a fumble on a kickoff return, adding to his misfortunes.
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This story was originally published August 26, 2026 at 2:38 PM.