3 Commanders who survived cut-down day but aren’t safe just yet

There were rumors on cut-down day that the Washington Commanders were shopping cornerback Noah Igbinoghene. The Auburn veteran ended up on the initial 53-man roster, but that doesn’t mean trade talks are over.

There will be a lot of moves across the league now that general managers know who is and isn’t available. Adam Peters will be keeping all options open, too.

Veterans like Mike Hilton and Marquez Valdes-Scantling appeared to have had new gigs lined up almost as soon as they were being released. Each time a new player is added via trade, the waiver wire, or free agency, his new destination has to make a corresponding cut.

Many of the 53 players who constituted the Commanders’ roster are locked in. But for a few, their position remains tenuous.

If and when Peters makes further roster moves, here are the players most in danger of losing their spot.

Commanders players who survived cut-down day but aren't safe just yet

Josh Johnson, QB

Josh Johnson won the third quarterback job almost by default when Sam Hartman imploded during the preseason. The journeyman wasn’t terrible, but he didn’t do very much to inspire confidence.

He is on the roster now, perhaps because Marcus Mariota’s health is still in question. That is just as things stood heading into the 2024 season. However, once the games began to count, he was able to back up Jayden Daniels throughout the entire year.

Washington is likely to eventually move forward with just two quarterbacks on the active roster. This would leave Johnson, Hartman, or some as-yet-unidentified signal caller stashed on the practice squad.

Trent Scott, OL

Trent Scott has been a serviceable backup offensive lineman for the past few seasons. This year, with Cornelius Lucas gone, he has competed for the primary swing tackle spot.

The first sign that the Commanders may not have been satisfied with him came when they signed Lucas Niang. After he tore his ACL almost immediately after joining the franchise, Peters brought in veteran George Fant.

Both Fant and Scott are on the initial 53-man roster. Because Washington has several other linemen capable of playing tackle, both are unlikely to stick.

Ale Kaho, LB

The Commanders use two linebackers in most sets. They are more likely to have a big safety — they are currently carrying five safeties — to play the role of the traditional third at the defensive second level.

Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu are the clear starters, while Jordan Magee and Kain Medrano appear locked in as their young successors. Von Miller and Nick Bellore are officially listed as linebackers, but they play different roles.

Undrafted free agent Ale Kaho, Medrano’s college teammate at UCLA, does play that role, and it was a pleasant surprise to see him on the roster. But Peters may not feel the need to carry a fifth traditional linebacker if he can bolster the roster in another area.

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