Commanders Terminate Contract of Massive 6-foot-6 Defender

The Washington Commanders released defensive tackle Jeffrey M’ba from the practice squad on Wednesday, ending the rookie’s brief stay in Ashburn and clearing a roster spot as the team reshuffled its developmental depth, via the NFL transaction wire.

Washington made the move to sign wide receiver Nick DeGennaro, a former New England Patriots undrafted free agent who was cut during the Patriots’ final roster reductions in August.

DeGennaro joins a practice-squad receiver group that already includes veteran Van Jefferson and rookie Jaden Bradley.

The addition comes after the Commanders lost Jaylin Lane for the season with a fractured and dislocated left ankle, leaving the active receiving corps thinner than general manager Adam Peters would prefer.

M’ba’s exit was part of a busier practice-squad day.

Washington also added outside linebacker T.J. Maguranyanga and safety Darren Hall, replacing running back Robert Henry Jr. and cornerback Terell Smith, who had been signed off the squad earlier in the week by the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively.

The release closes a short but unusual NFL chapter. Born in Libreville, Gabon, on September 14, 1999, M’ba grew up in France and Cameroon before playing high school football at Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore.

His college path ran through Independence Community College, Auburn, Purdue and SMU. After going undrafted in April, he signed with the Commanders on a three-year deal that included a $20,000 signing bonus and $265,000 guaranteed.

The Edmonton Elks had selected him in the second round of the CFL Global Draft, but he chose the NFL route instead.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds, M’ba was viewed as a developmental nose tackle with the size to hold up inside.

He appeared in all three of Washington’s preseason games and finished with eight tackles and one pass deflection — two tackles in a win over Miami, three tackles and a deflection at Detroit, and three assisted tackles in a loss at Baltimore.

He did not make the initial 53-man roster. ESPN’s John Keim reported his waiver on August 30 and called him a clear practice-squad candidate. The Commanders brought him back the next day, using an International Player Pathway exemption.

He never appeared in a regular-season game. Wednesday’s cut leaves him free to sign elsewhere, including a return to the CFL, where Edmonton still holds his rights.

For Washington, the transaction is a reminder of how quickly practice-squad spots turn over once injuries and poaching force a team to prioritize positions of immediate need.