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Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters. Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

As cuts loom, here are 3 intriguing WRs Commanders could add

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 11:30 AM ET

With roster cuts rolling in, the Washington Commanders haven’t, as of the time of this writing, made any of theirs yet, and are likely going to use as much of the clock as they need to get their roster right.

However, everyone in the NFL also knows that even after the Commanders solidify their initial 53-man roster, changes can and will happen, and could include adding players cut or made available for trade by their own squads.

With injury, developmental, and availability concerns looming over several receivers in Washington, here are three players NFL.com has identified who could be available, and that general manager Adam Peters might consider adding to his own roster in the coming days.

Adam Thielen: The Veteran Trade

Currently with the Carolina Panthers, Thielen could be made available as the team looks forward to its future with older players like him potentially left out of those plans.

He’d be the highest cost to the Commanders, but if the team wants a steady veteran who can add quality to the room and play near the top of its depth chart, Thielen is the most likely to provide those qualities.

According to NFL.com, his 2023 season was “an inspired move, with Thielen reviving his career as the Panthers’ top receiving option,” while helping young quarterback Bryce Young improve, especially in 2024.

"With young receivers such as Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Jimmy Horn Jr. in need of touches, do the Panthers still need Thielen?” the column asks, and if not, perhaps Washington has a role for him to fill.

Kendrick Bourne: Reliable and Familiar Depth

Bourne arrived at the San Francisco 49ers the same year Washington general manager Adam Peters did, and the two worked for the same franchise until 2021 when the receiver bolted for the New England Patriots.

In eight NFL seasons, Bourne has never been a 1,000-yard receiver, but he has been a steady producer, catching 30 or more passes in every season but two, and four touchdowns or more in half.

"The Patriots might not love their current WR depth chart, but I suspect they might be more apt to giving an untested receiver (Ja’Lynn Polk or Javon Baker) a chance over Bourne," says NFL.com, and because of it, the veteran could be available and if Peters sees a fit between the man and the Commanders, a reunion could be in store.

Tim Patrick: The Physicality Play

We know Washington wants its style of play to be one that is physical and works hard on every snap. If you want to see that personified in a receiver, Tim Patrick is a solid option.

Coming off two seasons lost to injury in 2024, Patrick appeared in 16 games for the Detroit Lions, bringing in 33 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns.

Beyond that, he’s known as one of the better blocking receivers in the league, something the Commanders could covet given the appearance that they’ll be using the left and right boundaries of the playing field at a much higher rate this season.

As a "reliable veteran receiver... who’s also a quality blocker," according to the column, Patrick might not be the guy fans covet, but he could be enough of a dual-ability player on the perimeter that Washington takes a hard look at him if he becomes available.

It is no secret that Peters is always looking for opportunities to make his roster better, and these three receivers all present different ways to potentially do that. So as cuts come in, don’t forget there’s also the potential teams add to their rosters, as the everlasting shuffling of talent around the NFL continues, with less than two weeks remaining until the first contest of the 2025 regular season.