3 biggest Commanders training camp battles to watch ahead of 2026 NFL season

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There is a surprising Washington Commanders player who could make or break the season. And another player is under pressure to carry a big load. Also, here are the three biggest Commanders training camp battles to watch ahead of the 2026 season.

Because of the makeup of the Commanders’ roster, there’s plenty of training camp competition. And the biggest of them all is the wide receiver position.

Commanders have 10 players fighting for 6 WR spots

When looking at the Commanders’ receiver room, there’s only one player in a lock-solid position. Terry McLaurin, if healthy, will enter the season as the Commanders’ WR1.

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After that, it’s a free-for-all. And not in a good way. The reason it’s wide open is that the Commanders lack a bevy of talented receivers. Therefore, nobody can stake a solid claim to any spot after McLaurin.

Now, there’s little doubt whether rookie Antonio Williams will make the cut. The Commanders spent a third-round pick on him. They will give him every chance to succeed throughout this season. But that doesn’t mean he’s WR2.

That role is occupied by Luke McCaffrey. He’s another player who seems certain to survive any cut talk. After those guys, no Commanders’ receiver can be comfortable.

Treylon Burks will likely get first crack at showing what he can bring to the field with some first-team reps. Dyami Brown is also on the fringe of that mix. The same can be said for Jaylin Lane.

And if those six guys stick on the 53-man roster, it wouldn’t be shocking. However, the Commanders have veterans Van Jefferson and Jacoby Jones trying to hang on. Plus, Jaden Bradley, Nick Nash, and Chris Hilton Jr. are candidates.

And if one of those guys on the outside looking in right now has a great training camp, Burks, Brown, or Lane could be in real trouble.

Training camp won’t change any of the Commanders’ receivers. None of those guys is going to get better overnight. Williams has the most room for improvement, mainly because he’s a rookie and nobody knows for sure what he can do.

What training camp will show is how the Commanders’ receivers can handle roles. Whoever gets the best roles will put up the best numbers. That’s why this year’s training camp battles are going to be so fascinating. With only one player assured of a specific role, things need to spin out quickly to get things settled for the 2026 season.

Another Commanders camp battle is at running back

Unlike the receiver room, nobody has a guaranteed spot at running back. Yes, Jacory Croskey-Merritt is penciled in as the expected starter. But he didn’t show enough in 2025 to prove he can fend off a good challenge.

And the tough thing for Croskey-Merritt is the Commanders have two veterans behind him. Rachaad White plodded around the field for four seasons with the Buccaneers. He also came close to rushing for 1,000 yards in 2023. And he has caught 50, 64, 51, and 40 passes in his four NFL seasons.

After that, Jerome Ford looms in the distance. Nobody expects him to fight for a starting spot. But he’s in the backup mix. And if White somehow beat out Croskey-Merritt, it’s not inconceivable that Ford could also pass Merritt. Ford rushed for 813 yards in 2023. He also has pass-catching ability.

And then there’s rookie Kaytron Allen. He’s building momentum, according to commanders.com.

“I feel like I’m a competitor, and me being in the room, I feel like it’s going to make everybody better for sure,” Allen said. “(And) I just feel like when players around me, they got no other choice but to get better around me just because of my work ethic and how I go about playing football. I love football, so I put everything into it. And I just feel like if you’re around me, you gotta love football, or if not, it’s going to show.

“I’m ready for the challenge, and I’m ready to get to work, man. And I’m a great team guy. I make everybody around me better … Defense, offense, special teams, it doesn’t matter what it is.”

That should make the other guys a little defensive because Allen sounds like he’s coming for somebody’s job.

Overall, training camp should be intense at this position.

Cornerback is another position for battles

There’s much better definition at cornerback. Trey Amos will start as CB1 for the Commanders. Mike Sainristill is CB2. However, the Commanders added Rasul Douglas to the mix. And that means he will push the other two guys for one of those spots.

On the fringe is Ahkello Witherspoon. He could make a slight training camp push. After that, it’s a jumble for maybe one spot.

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