Washington Commanders

The Commanders announced a pair of roster moves on Sunday afternoon.

They have signed center Trey Hill to the active roster. Cornerback Tre Hawkins was waived in a corresponding move.

Hill was a Bengals sixth-round pick in 2021 and he remained with the team through the 2024 season. He spent time with the Packers and Bears last season, but did not appear in any games. He was also on the Titans’ roster for most of the offseason.

Hill appeared in 25 games for the Bengals and made three starts.

Hawkins played in one game for Washington last season and 20 games for the Giants over his first two NFL seasons.

Tight end Anthony Firkser is back with the Lions.

The team announced Firkser’s signing on Friday morning. The Commanders released Firkser earlier this week.

Firkser played for the Lions last season and in 2023. He had eight catches for 53 yards in seven games last year and played in two games during his first stint with the team.

Firkser has also played for the Titans, Falcons, Chiefs and Jets. He has 123 catches for 1,260 yards and five touchdowns in 85 career games.

Tight end Zach Horton was waived in a corresponding move. Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, and Tyler Conklin are the other veteran tight ends in Detroit, although Conklin is currently on the physically unable to perform list.

At a time when a 49ers receiver badly wants to join the Commanders, a former Commanders receiver is rejoining the 49ers.

Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Deebo Samuel is returning to San Francisco. It’s a one-year deal worth up to $7 million. (The base value has not yet been disclosed.)

A second-round pick of the 49ers in 2019, Samuel became a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in his third season, with 1,405 receiving yards and 365 rushing yards in 2021.

Things got ugly between Samuel and the 49ers in the 2022 offseason, with Samuel asking to be traded. He eventually signed a three-year, $73.5 million extension.

Before the final year of the deal in 2025, the 49ers traded Samuel to the Commanders for a fifth-round pick. He also agreed to a reduced contract, with a $17 million base salary and up to $3 milion in incentives.

With 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall’s season in doubt due to the lingering effects of a knee injury, the 49ers needed help at the position. Samuel joins a depth chart that includes Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, De’Zhaun Stribling, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowling, and Demarcus Robinson.

Samuel, 30, has one career 1,000-yard season. Last year in Washington, he caught 72 passes for 727 yards and five touchdowns.

Wide receiver River Cracraft is back with the Commanders.

Cracraft played two games for the team last season and the Commanders announced his signing on Wednesday morning. They also confirmed the signing of punter Matt Haack.

Cracraft returned a pair of punts during last year’s stint in Washington. He had 32 catches for 374 yards and three touchdowns in 53 games for the Dolphins, 49ers and Broncos before landing with the Commanders.

The Commanders released linebacker Andre Carter and tight end Anthony Firkser to create space on the roster for the new arrivals. They also announced that they have activated cornerback Fred Davis from the non-football illness list.

When it comes to players under contract with one team, other teams generally shy away from saying anything about him. To comment on the player is to risk a tampering jackpot.

On Tuesday, JP Finlay of NBC 4 in D.C. came up with a way to ask about 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk, without asking about 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Finlay asked Commanders G.M. Adam Peters “in a general sense” whether a potential player’s social-media habits is a factor in the analysis as to whether he should be added to the roster.

“That’s a good roundabout question,” Peters said. “We look at everything, JP. I mean, it’s a great question, but we do look at everything and, you know, we want to make sure it’s the right player to be in our locker room and our bloodstream and in our culture and, you know, we often, you know, we look at that stuff. I mean, it’s not always the first thing we look at. Obviously, you’re looking at the tape, and you talk to the teams that the players have been on, and how they were in the locker room, the players have played with them, and so on and so forth to make those decisions. But, you know, that’s not usually a huge part of it. Usually.”

Commanders coach Dan Quinn, who called Finlay a “straight badass” before Peters answered, added this after Peters answered: “Well played. Both of you.”

And so, yes, Aiyuk’s recent social-media adventures (or misadventures, as the case may be) will play a role in whether the Commanders sign him. Another factor, obviously, will be whether quarterback Jayden Daniels is jostling to add Aiyuk.

None of it matters until Aiyuk applies to the league office for reinstatement from the 49ers’ reserve/left squad list to the 90-man roster. But if Aiyuk ever does what he needs to do to set the stage for his release, the Commanders may be interested — but the social-media stuff will indeed be considered.

Commanders punter Tress Way isn’t healthy enough to practice with the team right now, so they have brought in another veteran to handle the duties at training camp.

The agents for Matt Haack announced that their client is signing with the team after a workout on Tuesday. Haack appeared in seven games for the Cardinals last season and has also played for the Dolphins, Bills, Colts, Browns and Giants.

Commanders General Manager Adam Peters said that Way is dealing with a pectoral injury. The three-time Pro Bowler is not expected to be out for an extended period of time.

Peters also said that linebacker Kain Medrano will miss time with a hamstring injury.

The Commanders will stay in house to replace tight ends coach Ben Steele.

Head coach Dan Quinn said that offensive assistant Wes Welker will now work with that position group. Steele was dismissed on Monday for violating team rules.

Welker also worked with the team’s tight ends at the end of their offseason program. Steele was placed on paid leave after a DWI arrest on June 7.

Welker was a personnel analyst for the Commanders last season. The longtime NFL wideout was previously a wide receivers coach for the Dolphins and 49ers. He also spent time on the Texans’ coaching staff after retiring as a player.

The 49ers have opened training camp. Receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains on the reserve/left squad list.

He also remains determined to play for the Commanders.

Via The Athletic, Aiyuk made it even more clear in a Friday text message that he wants to sign with Washington.

Said Aiyuk: “[Adam Peters] and [Dan Quinn] quietly put together a SQAUD! [sic] I’m the final peice [sic] that will swing all the odds in our favor.”

The final piece can’t be put in place until the 49ers release him. Nothing will happen until Aiyuk files a petition for reinstatement with the league, the league grants it, and he shows up for work. At that point, the 49ers would have to choose between letting him practice (and risk owing him more than $26 million if he suffers a season-ending injury) or cutting him. Common sense suggests they’d cut him.

Common sense also points to Aiyuk filing the petition for reinstatement. He has vowed not to do it. Unless the 49ers choose to release him from the reserve/left squad list, nothing will happen.

There’s a chance nothing will happen if/when he’s released. While the Commanders clearly had interest at one point, he may have scared them away with social-media antics that included multiple skirmishes with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

At some point, life will go on. Rosters will be set. Games will be played. And the NFL train will roll ahead without Aiyuk.

The Commanders announced the departure of tight ends coach Ben Steele on Monday morning and declined further comment about why the offseason addition to Dan Quinn’s staff was leaving the team just before the start of training camp.

Nicki Jhabvala of TheAthletic.com reports that Steele was dismissed due to a violation of team policy. Jhabvala also reports that Steele was arrested on suspicion driving while intoxicated on June 7 and faces additional charges for refusing to take a blood/breath test and obstructing or resisting an officer without force.

Per the report, Steele notified the Commanders about the arrest. The team informed the league and Steele was placed on paid leave. With Steele on leave, offensive assistant Wes Welker worked with the tight ends at minicamp.

Quinn is expected to name a replacement tight ends coach on Tuesday, which is also when the full Commanders squad is due to report to training camp.

The Commanders announced a change to their coaching staff a couple of days before their first practice of training camp.

The team announced that they are parting ways with tight ends coach Ben Steele. The announcement adds that the team will have no further comment at this time.

Any move involving a member of the staff would lead to questions for head coach Dan Quinn and the timing of this one ensures Quinn will be asked about the decision in his first press conference of training camp this week.

Steele was hired by Washington this offseason. He spent the last three seasons as the Cardinals’ tight ends coach and has also worked for the Broncos, Vikings, Falcons and Buccaneers over the course of his coaching career.