Commanders quietly send draft pick packing after preseason catastrophe

The Washington Commanders' embarrassing loss to the New England Patriots was always going to come with some collateral damage attached. As it turned out, this was the final straw for general manager Adam Peters to give up on one of his draft selections for the first time.

After the Commanders signed Duke Riley, Antonio Hamilton Sr., and Essang Bassey, others had to make way. Lucas Niang went to injured reserve, freeing up a spot. But the team needed two more.

Washington confirmed that Dominique Hampton was one of their sacrificial lambs. Last year's fifth-round selection never looked capable of meeting the required standards. And now, the Commanders have thrown in the towel on this experiment way ahead of time.

Commanders pulled the plug on Dominique Hampton experiment after woeful preseason outing

Hampton came into the Commanders as a safety. He played a role in spearheading the Washington Huskies to the college football national championship game in 2023, which was enough for Peters to take the plunge at No. 161 overall selection last spring.

It didn't take long to figure out that Hampton wasn't going to make it as an impactful presence on the backend. The Commanders recognized this quickly and shifted course, giving him the chance to develop as a linebacker behind some accomplished figures like Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu.

He made the team, but that's about it. The Commanders practically redshirted Hampton's rookie campaign, making him a healthy scratch constantly. He suited up once, playing six special-teams snaps. But he remained an unknown quantity heading into his second offseason with the franchise.

Hampton was anonymous throughout training camp. When his time came to shine in a preseason environment at Gillette Stadium, he fluffed his lines in the worst possible way.

That was all Peters needed to see. While there is sentiment attached to draft picks made by general managers around the league — something that normally gives them more leeway — Washington's front-office leader takes sentiment out of the equation at all times. This is just the latest example.

This development should serve as a warning to others. It doesn't matter if you were here before, were signed in free agency, or came into the Commanders through the college ranks; everyone is fair game for the chop if performances don't match the investment.

What the future holds for Hampton is unclear. He should have benefited from his experience in Washington, even if he barely featured. But if he does get another shot, maximizing it is imperative for his NFL aspirations.

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