Commanders tangled in preseason mess around potential breakout star

The puzzling mystery around Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey continues to bamboozle fans after another rollercoaster preseason. He's done arguably just enough to make the 53-man roster, but what comes next remains unclear.

McCaffrey was used sparingly by the Commanders last season. The third-round pick got a lot of game reps but very few targets. Adam Peters wasn't going to wait around for developments this offseason, trading for Deebo Samuel Sr. and drafting Jaylin Lane to fortify the wideout options at Washington's disposal.

This wasn't exactly a glowing vote of confidence in McCaffrey. Although he's flashed at times this summer, fans are starting to wonder if he'll ever be able to carve out an important role for himself in Washington.

Commanders are no closer to solving their Luke McCaffrey puzzle after up-and-down preseason

The Commanders put McCaffrey to the test in their final preseason engagement against the Baltimore Ravens. He collected all five of his targets for 23 receiving yards, but the second-year pro couldn't generate much after the catch and looked to be lacking confidence slightly.

There was also no sign of McCaffrey in the return game, where his influence was felt a lot more as a rookie. And the fact that he was being deployed as a special-teams blocker late into Washington's last warmup game didn't exactly encourage, either.

It's highly unlikely that the Commanders will give up on McCaffrey so soon into his NFL journey. Peters did exactly that with safety turned linebacker Dominique Hampton, but he never looked capable of reaching the required standard. The wideout is only entering his fourth year at the position after transitioning from a quarterback in college, so this was always going to be a gradual process.

The Commanders don't have time to wait around. Terry McLaurin (contract pending), Samuel, and Noah Brown are firmly entrenched as the starting trio. One could make a strong case for Lane being the No. 4 option right now, especially considering he was rested with almost every other starter versus the Ravens. Where that leaves McCaffrey is anyone's guess, but it raises the urgency to improve exponentially in the months ahead.

Washington thinks a lot of McCaffrey. He's from a rich NFL bloodline and is one of the hardest workers around. But until the on-field production matches, there will always be a sense of doubt attached.

McCaffrey's name will be on Washington's 53-man squad when it's all said and done. But if the player wants to raise his influence on the offensive rotation, he cannot get left behind.

That's going to see optimism plunge quickly at the worst possible time.

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