Overview
- The Commanders announced Tuesday that they released veteran safety Will Harris, signed OLB Boogie Basham and added safeties Joshuah Bledsoe and Quindell Johnson.
- Washington also released rookie safety Malik Spencer and placed outside linebacker Drake Jackson on injured reserve, ending Jackson’s season.
- Coaches tied Basham’s signing to injuries at the edge that have affected starters Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson and to the team’s need for immediate rotational rushers.
- Harris’s cut follows a season in which he missed time with a fractured fibula and saw his role diminish under the new defensive staff as Quan Martin, Nick Cross and Jeremy Reaves rose in the safety pecking order.
- The moves came after the team hosted tryouts for eight defensive players and produce roughly $3.76 million in cap savings while creating about $1 million in dead money, leaving Washington to finalize special-teams and secondary spots before Sunday’s roster cuts.