The Washington Commanders are one of the 32 teams in the National Football League (NFL). They compete in the NFC East division along with the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Commanders have won three Super Bowl championships in their history, the last one in 1991, when they defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI.
The Commanders are led by head coach Ron Rivera, who was hired in January 2020 after serving as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers for nine seasons. Rivera is known for his defensive expertise and his leadership skills. He is joined by offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, who was hired in January 2021 after serving as the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs for three seasons, and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, who was also hired in January 2020 after serving as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders for four seasons.
The Commanders have made several changes to their roster in the 2023 offseason, hoping to improve from their 7-10 record in 2022. They traded quarterback Alex Smith to the Chicago Bears and acquired quarterback Jacoby Brissett from the Indianapolis Colts. They also signed wide receiver Randall Cobb from the Houston Texans and defensive end Carl Lawson from the Cincinnati Bengals to bolster their offense and defense. They drafted linebacker Zaire Barnes from Purdue with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, making him their highest-drafted defensive player since Chase Young in 2020.
Washington Commanders Roster: Offense, Defence, Special Teams
| NO | PLAYER | POS | HT | WT | DOB (AGE) | EXP | COLLEGE | UNIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Will Levis | QB | 6-4 | 229 | 6/27/1999 (24) | R | Kentucky | Offense |
| 17 | Ryan Tannehill | QB | 6-4 | 217 | 7/27/1988 (35) | 12 | Texas A&M | Offense |
| 7 | Malik Willis | QB | 6-1 | 219 | 5/25/1999 (24) | 2 | Liberty | Offense |
| 36 | Julius Chestnut | RB | 5-11 | 228 | 10/26/2000 (22) | 2 | Sacred Heart | Offense |
| 22 | Derrick Henry | RB | 6-3 | 247 | 1/4/1994 (29) | 8 | Alabama | Offense |
| 32 | Tyjae Spears | RB | 5-10 | 200 | 6/15/2001 (22) | R | Tulane | Offense |
| 16 | Treylon Burks | WR | 6-2 | 225 | 3/23/2000 (23) | 2 | Arkansas | Offense |
| 14 | Colton Dowell | WR | 6-3 | 212 | 4/19/1999 (24) | R | Tennessee-Martin | Offense |
| 10 | DeAndre Hopkins | WR | 6-1 | 218 | 6/6/1992 (31) | 10 | Clemson | Offense |
| 5 | Kearis Jackson | WR | 5-11 | 196 | 12/9/1999 (23) | R | Georgia | Offense |
| 11 | Chris Moore | WR | 6-1 | 200 | 6/16/1993 (30) | 8 | Cincinnati | Offense |
| 15 | Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | WR | 6-2 | 211 | 3/21/1997 (26) | 4 | Indiana | Offense |
| 85 | Chigoziem Okonkwo | TE | 6-3 | 238 | 9/8/1999 (24) | 2 | Maryland | Offense |
| 88 | Trevon Wesco | TE | 6-3 | 267 | 9/12/1995 (28) | 5 | West Virginia | Offense |
| 81 | Josh Whyle | TE | 6-7 | 248 | 9/8/1999 (24) | R | Cincinnati | Offense |
| 55 | Aaron Brewer | C | 6-1 | 274 | 10/28/1997 (25) | 4 | Texas St. | Offense |
| 71 | Andre Dillard | OT | 6-5 | 315 | 10/3/1995 (27) | 5 | Washington St. | Offense |
| 79 | Jaelyn Duncan | OT | 6-6 | 306 | 7/8/2000 (23) | R | Maryland | Offense |
| 66 | Chris Hubbard | OT | 6-4 | 295 | 4/23/1991 (32) | 10 | UAB | Offense |
| 75 | Dillon Radunz | OT | 6-6 | 301 | 3/28/1998 (25) | 3 | N. Dakota St. | Offense |
| 60 | Daniel Brunskill | OG | 6-5 | 300 | 1/27/1994 (29) | 5 | San Diego St. | Offense |
| 62 | Corey Levin | OG | 6-4 | 307 | 8/12/1994 (29) | 5 | Tennessee-Chattanooga | Offense |
| 67 | Xavier Newman-Johnson | OG | 6-2 | 297 | 8/4/1999 (24) | 1 | Baylor | Offense |
| 77 | Peter Skoronski | OG | 6-4 | 313 | 7/31/2001 (22) | R | Northwestern | Offense |
| 96 | Denico Autry | DT | 6-5 | 285 | 7/15/1990 (33) | 10 | Miss. State | Defense |
| 90 | Naquan Jones | DT | 6-3 | 313 | 2/5/1998 (25) | 3 | Michigan St. | Defense |
| 98 | Jeffery Simmons | DT | 6-4 | 305 | 7/28/1997 (26) | 5 | Miss. State | Defense |
| 93 | Teair Tart | DT | 6-2 | 304 | 2/28/1997 (26) | 4 | Florida International | Defense |
| 76 | Kyle Peko | NT | 6-1 | 305 | 7/23/1993 (30) | 5 | Oregon State | Defense |
| 2 | Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | 6-2 | 228 | 8/4/1997 (26) | 5 | FAU | Defense |
| 50 | Jack Gibbens | LB | 6-3 | 242 | 11/24/1998 (24) | 1 | Minnesota | Defense |
| 57 | Luke Gifford | LB | 6-3 | 242 | 8/28/1995 (28) | 5 | Nebraska | Defense |
| 51 | Trevis Gipson | LB | 6-4 | 263 | 6/13/1997 (26) | 4 | Tulsa | Defense |
| 49 | Arden Key | LB | 6-5 | 240 | 5/3/1996 (27) | 6 | LSU | Defense |
| 58 | Harold Landry | LB | 6-2 | 252 | 6/5/1996 (27) | 6 | Boston College | Defense |
| 42 | Caleb Murphy | LB | 6-3 | 254 | 12/15/1999 (23) | R | Ferris St. | Defense |
| 41 | Otis Reese | LB | 6-3 | 214 | 7/2/1998 (25) | R | Ole Miss | Defense |
| 56 | Monty Rice | LB | 6-0 | 233 | 1/8/1999 (24) | 3 | Georgia | Defense |
| 99 | Rashad Weaver | LB | 6-4 | 259 | 11/10/1997 (25) | 3 | Pittsburgh | Defense |
| 23 | Tre Avery | CB | 5-11 | 181 | 2/26/1997 (26) | 2 | Rutgers | Defense |
| 26 | Kristian Fulton | CB | 5-11 | 197 | 9/3/1998 (25) | 4 | LSU | Defense |
| 40 | Anthony Kendall | CB | 5-10 | 177 | 12/17/1999 (23) | R | Baldwin Wallace | Defense |
| 21 | Roger McCreary | CB | 5-11 | 190 | 2/10/2000 (23) | 2 | Auburn | Defense |
| 24 | Elijah Molden | CB | 5-10 | 191 | 1/30/1999 (24) | 3 | Washington | Defense |
| 0 | Sean Murphy-Bunting | CB | 6-0 | 195 | 6/19/1997 (26) | 5 | C. Michigan | Defense |
| 20 | Kindle Vildor | CB | 5-11 | 190 | 12/11/1997 (25) | 4 | Ga. Southern | Defense |
| 44 | Mike Brown | DB | 6-1 | 222 | 4/7/1999 (24) | 1 | Miami-OH | Defense |
| 37 | Amani Hooker | SAF | 5-11 | 210 | 6/14/1998 (25) | 5 | Iowa | Defense |
| 39 | Matthew Jackson | SAF | 6-1 | 209 | 11/9/1998 (24) | R | E. Kentucky | Defense |
| 31 | Kevin Byard | FS | 5-11 | 212 | 8/17/1993 (30) | 8 | Middle Tenn. | Defense |
| 6 | Nick Folk | K | 6-1 | 225 | 11/5/1984 (38) | 16 | Arizona | Special Teams |
| 4 | Ryan Stonehouse | P | 5-10 | 193 | 5/11/1999 (24) | 2 | Colorado St. | Special Teams |
| 46 | Morgan Cox | LS | 6-4 | 233 | 4/26/1986 (37) | 14 | Tennessee | Special Teams |
Some of the notable additions to the team are:
- Deshaun Watson, the starting quarterback, who was acquired from the Houston Texans in a trade. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, capable of passing, running, and leading his team.
- Antonio Gibson, the star running back, who led the team in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2022. He is a powerful and versatile runner, who can break tackles and catch passes.
- Terry McLaurin, the elite wide receiver, who is one of the best players at his position in the league. He is a speedy and reliable receiver, who can make big plays and score touchdowns.
- Curtis Samuel, the Pro Bowl wide receiver, who was re-signed by the Commanders after a brief stint with the Houston Texans. He is a dynamic and explosive receiver, who can play in the slot and on special teams.
- Chase Young, the defensive end, who was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He is one of the most disruptive and impactful players in the league. He is a skilled and relentless defender, who can sack the quarterback and force fumbles.
- Montez Sweat, the pass rusher, who was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He is a fast and agile defender, who can sack the quarterback and force fumbles.
- Kendall Fuller, the versatile cornerback, who was re-signed by the Commanders after a brief stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. He is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, capable of playing in coverage, blitzing, and tackling.
- Landon Collins, the Pro Bowl safety, who was signed from the New York Giants as a free agent in 2019. He is a smart and physical player, who can read and react to plays, intercept passes, and deliver hits.
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