Commanders insider stuns fans by spotlighting late veteran camp breakout

Adam Peters has some tough roster decisions to make in the coming weeks. The Washington Commanders' running back dynamic remains one of the most fascinating elements for fans to watch, and there is a late riser who's gaining momentum at the best possible time.

One would expect Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler to lead the backfield charge initially. The incredible emergence of seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has sent hype soaring to levels nobody expected. Jayden Daniels is also a significant threat running the football, so that might be all the Commanders need on their 53-man squad.

Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. won't be giving up without a fight. However, there is another player doing everything possible to provoke serious discussions between those in power.

Commanders insider highlights late surge from Demetric Felton, but it might not be enough

Zach Selby from the team's website spotlighted Demetric Felton as someone who's made a lasting impression over the last week. The insider acknowledged that his roster status remains a long shot, but he's making a strong case for the practice squad if he doesn't do quite enough to make it.

The Commanders have a tough decision to make at the running back position, and players like [Demetric] Felton aren't making things easy for them. As it stands now, Felton faces a long road toward making the roster, as he was listed as seventh on the team's unofficial depth chart. However, the starters are expected to play limited snaps against the Bengals, which means there will be more opportunities for Felton to at least show he can be a practice squad player during the regular season.Zach Selby

Felton hasn't seen an NFL regular-season field since the 2022 campaign with the Cleveland Browns. He's bounced between the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts over the last year, but the Commanders thought enough of the former UCLA standout to give him a reserve/futures contract this offseason.

One has to wonder just how many more chances Felton will get to keep his NFL dreams alive. He's elusive and explosive, but the 5-foot-9 frame makes it difficult to become a genuine bellcow option for anybody. What the Commanders need to figure out is whether allocating a spot for him behind Robinson, Ekeler, and Croskey-Merritt is worth the extra spot.

It's probably more likely that the Commanders will stash Felton on the practice squad rather than give him a shot on the roster initially. But that doesn't mean the pendulum cannot shift if this performance surge can be sustained.

Time will tell on that one.

More Commanders news and analysis