2023 Washington Commanders Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More

This article is part of our Team Previews series.

Washington Commanders

New OC Eric Bieniemy and second-year QB Sam Howell are tasked with fixing an offense that finished 20th or worse in both points and yards in each of the past five years. The Commanders signed OT Andrew Wylie away from the Chiefs to give Bieniemy a familiar face, but their offseason personnel moves otherwise focused on defense, leaving skill-position snaps largely in the hands of returning players like WRs Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson and RBs Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson.

2023 Washington Commanders Quarterback Room

• Veteran Additions: Jacoby Brissett (from Browns)
• Draft Picks: None
• Departures: Carson Wentz (FA), Taylor Heinicke (to Falcons)

Sam Howell is Washington's first real shot at above-average QB play since the Kirk Cousins era, though it's perhaps a long shot given that he's a fifth-round pick who barely played as a rookie. He has the requisite physical tools, namely arm strength and mobility, which is part of why he had first-round hype at one point in his college career.

Howell fell in the 2022 Draft after his passing stats declined on a bad UNC team in his junior season, but he also did a lot more with his legs that year (828 yards, 11 TDs) and continued his scrambling ways last preseason in Washington (94 yards, two TDs). His only regular-season action came against Dallas in Week 18, when the rookie threw for one score and ran in another to lead the Commanders to an easy win.

The team made sure to secure a backup plan in case things don't work out with the 22-year-old this summer and fall, signing Brissett to a one-year, $8 million contract after his competent showing as an 11-game starter in Cleveland last year.

2023 Washington Commanders Backfield

• Veteran Additions: None
• Draft Picks: Chris Rodriguez (Rd. 6, No. 193 – Kentucky)
• Departures: J.D. McKissic (FA)

Brian Robinson came in as a third-round pick last year and was Washington's lead runner by mid-October, despite getting shot in the leg in late August. If not for missing the first four games – and later Week 18 with a since-healed knee injury – Robinson likely would've finished his rookie year as a 1,000-yard rusher. On the other hand, he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry and recorded only nine catches and three total touchdowns in 12 games (nine starts). Antonio Gibson, meanwhile, finished with career lows for carries, rushing yards and TDs and YPC but career highs for receptions, receiving yards and yards per catch.

A similar timeshare between those two is perhaps the most likely scenario this year, though Eric Bieniemy could see things differently, and Rodriguez, a 217-pound rookie, is a threat to take some of the between-the-tackles carries that mostly went to Robinson last season. The sixth-round rookie was Washington's only backfield addition this spring, suggesting the team expects more efficient running from Robinson and Gibson after both averaged under 4.0 YPC in 2022.

2023 Washington Commanders Receiving Corps

• Veteran Additions: WRs Byron Pringle (from Bears), Marcus Kemp (from Chiefs)
• Draft Picks: None
• Departures: WRs Cam Sims (to Raiders), Alex Erickson (to Jets)

Nearly everything else went wrong with Washington's offense under the direction of quarterbacks Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell and coordinator Scott Turner in 2022. But the wide receiver room featured a third consecutive 1,000-yard campaign from Terry McLaurin, a rebound year from Curtis Samuel (843 yards from scrimmage) and a seven-touchdown rookie season from first-round pick Jahan Dotson.

Meanwhile, the tight end group of Logan Thomas, John Bates, Armani Rogers and Cole Turner had less cumulative production – 518 yards and two TDs – than each of the top three wideouts had individually.

Neither position got help from free agency or the draft this offseason, with the Commanders instead banking on a full breakout from Dotson and perhaps a better season from the 32-year-old Thomas now that he's closer to two years removed from a serious knee injury. There's some doubt about Thomas' job security given his non-guaranteed $6.3 million base salary, potentially opening the door for Turner, a 2022 fifth-round pick, or Bates, a 2021 fourth-rounder, to earn more snaps and targets.

2023 Washington Commanders Sleepers

⬆️  Sleeper: Antonio Gibson

Gibson is easily Washington's fastest running back, without sacrificing size, and he's the only one that poses any threat to defenses as a pass catcher. He doesn't have great vision or power, but that may matter less than before with the switch to Eric Bieniemy, who worked with pass-heavy, screen-heavy offenses in Kansas City. If the reduced emphasis on inside running travels over to Washington, it'll likely mean more snaps for Gibson and fewer for Brian Robinson.

😴  Super Sleeper: Chris Rodriguez

Rodriguez and Robinson were SEC contemporaries, with the former averaging 6.2 YPC to the latter's 5.0 (on a similar quantity of carries), despite running behind Kentucky's offensive line rather than Alabama's. Draft capital still matters – and Robinson has a three-round advantage there – but the talent gap is closer than the margin suggests between these two RBs with similar physical profiles. If nothing else, Rodriguez faces weak competition for the third spot on the depth chart.

2023 Washington Commanders Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Ron Rivera (Year 4)

Offensive Coordinator: Eric Bieniemy (Year 1) – West Coast offense

Defensive Coordinator: Jack Del Rio (Year 4) – 4-3 scheme

2023 Washington Commanders Depth Chart

QB: Sam Howell / Jacoby Brissett / Jake Fromm

RB: Brian Robinson / Antonio Gibson / Chris Rodriguez / Jonathan Williams / Jaret Patterson / Derrick Gore

WR1: Terry McLaurin / Marcus Kemp

WR2: Jahan Dotson / Dyami Brown / Byron Pringle

WR3: Curtis Samuel / Dax Milne

TE: Logan Thomas / John Bates / Cole Turner

O-Line: LT Charles Leno / LG Saahdiq Charles / C Nick Gates / RG Samuel Cosmi / RT Andrew Wylie (RotoWire Rank: No. 29)

Kicker: Michael Badgley / Joey Slye

Full 2023 Depth Chart

Stats to Know for the Washington Commanders

2023 Projected Wins via FanDuel Sportsbook: 6.5 (T-26th)

2022 Record: 8-8-1

2022 Points Scored: 321 (24th)

2022 Points Allowed: 343 (7th)

2022 Point Differential: -22 (21st)

2022 Run-Play Rate: 47.2 percent (10th)

2022 Offensive Snaps: 1,140 (4th)

2022 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 20

Full 2022 Team Stats

2023 Washington Commanders Schedule

Washington Commanders Odds To Win Super Bowl LVIII

• Commanders Super Bowl 58 Odds: 65-1

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 11:00 AM ET on Aug. 2, 2023.