When is the right time to give up on a player you chose in the NFL draft? For Washington Commanders GM Adam Peters, it didn’t take him long to clear out several of former coach Ron Rivera’s failed draft picks, including cutting or trading his previous three first-round picks.
Peters is in his second season as Washington’s GM and has selected 14 players, nine in 2024 and five in 2025. Recently, Peters cut his first draft pick, 2024 fifth-round Dominique Hampton. Could more be on the way this week when all NFL teams are required to trim rosters from 90 players to 53?
If you were to listen to social media GMs, 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott and 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey would be gone. While neither player has yet to make a significant impact, there are other factors. So, when the Commanders make roster decisions this week, don’t expect Peters to move on from Sinnott and McCaffrey.
That begs the question: Does draft status impact final cuts? That question was presented to head coach Dan Quinn after Saturday’s preseason finale, and he was refreshingly honest with his response.
“Probably early it does, but not later,” Quinn said. “Meaning like early picks, I could see that, but not as much on the later side. One thing that we really stand for here is the competition. And that’s been Adam from the very beginning. And we knew that was the case going in; there wasn’t going to be this or that. That’s how we stand for how we do things. So yeah, I would say not from a – you can’t rule that over a performance-based thing.”
Sinnott and McCaffrey were considered “early” picks. And while the team wants to see more from both, they aren’t nearly as down on the two 2024 draft picks as social media. Quinn has praised Sinnott and McCaffrey multiple times this summer. He praised McCaffrey on Saturday, too.
“We’ve pushed him in two spots, which he’s definitely capable of handling, both playing outside and inside,” Quinn said of McCaffrey. “The things that I’ve seen improve for him is the route running and the precision of doing that. The footwork that goes with that. He’s always been one hell of a competitor; he’s got a punt return background and a kick return background for us. So, we like all the things that Luke brings, but it’s really the competitor that kind of sets it apart in that way. But I do like the versatility that [he] does [have], outside to inside.”
So, yes, draft status does matter, regardless of what some coaches tell you. As far as Washington’s 2025 picks, only sixth-round linebacker Kain Medrano is in danger of being released. And guess what? He’s not going anywhere either. Washington loves his size/speed combination and the aggressiveness with which he plays. Also, Washington linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. coached Medrano at UCLA.