Five roster bubble players for the Commanders who must make a strong impression in the second preseason game against the Bengals

Five roster bubble players for the Commanders who must make a strong impression in the second preseason game against the Bengals originally appeared on A to Z Sports.

The main takeaway I left with from the Washington Commanders' first preseason game was that there are a lot of players who left opportunities on the field.

Roster cuts are right around the corner, and the team only has two more preseason games, and lost the joint practice against the Ravens. There are a couple of players fighting for a roster spot who need to show up on Monday night.

CB Car'lin Vigers

Cornerback Car'lin Vigers was a very intriguing undrafted free agent that the Commanders showed a lot of interest in during the draft process. His size stands out at 6-foot-2, 200lbs, and he has a lot of traits that can develop.

Vigers played all 57 snaps on defense in the first preseason game, and he had some ups and downs throughout the game. He showed fluid coverage in certain reps, but also got run over on a play, and needs to show his physical presence more.

WR Chris Moore

I was expecting to see a lot more from Chris Moore (no pun intended), but he left a lot of opportunities on the field. The passing game struggles through QB Sam Hartman, but he gave Moore two great passes that he couldn't catch.

One was a 3rd down pass up the middle that hit him right in the hands with no coverage on him, and the other was about a 35-yard dime that he couldn't hold onto going to the ground. He's been solid in practice, but he's going down my depth chart.

QB Sam Hartman

I just praised Hartman on two passes to Moore, but that's really all I saw from him. The passing offense never found a real rhythm, and he finished 9 for 19 for 64 yards and an interception. Veteran Josh Johnson came in the game and showed that his experience helped get things going on offense.

Best-case scenario is that the younger Hartman can win the QB3 battle for the Commanders, but right now, I'm giving Johnson the leg up in the competition.

OT Foster Sarell

The 26-year-old offensive tackle is sitting as the backup left tackle, and the Commanders still have a move to make on the offensive line. I've had hopes for Sarell behind veteran Laremy Tunsil, but the team showed that they're ready to make a move if needed.

The Commanders hosted veteran offensive tackles George Fant and Cam Fleming earlier this week, and there's mutual interest with the two, and they will keep in contact. This could be a sign for Sarell to perform to protect his spot.

LB Duke Riley

I know Duke Riley just got here, but Adam Peters showed that he's willing to make the moves necessary when he cut recent 5th-round pick Dom Hampton after the first preseason game. Riley has a real chance to show improvement with the depth at LB, and also on special teams. The Commanders need to see a better effort on both sides, or they will look for another answer at the LB position.

Quinn said we will see a different team on Monday night against the Bengals, and these five players need to make their presence felt on the field to stick around for the third and final preseason game. Roster cuts will be here before you know it, and I'm watching to see who stands out this

This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.