Commanders OTAs wind down for a third week, with RB Croskey-Merritt still out

The Washington Commanders closed out the third week of their OTAs on Friday, with one notable absence lingering on the practice field. Running back Croskey-Merritt, listed as sidelined, did not appear to return to full team work as the club moved through the latest portion of its spring program. Because the NFL does not require teams to provide injury designations during the offseason in the same way it does during the regular season, the posture of any player who misses work often becomes a matter of observation rather than confirmation.

For fans trying to map what the practice window means for the Commanders’ backfield, the key context is that OTAs are not structured like training camp, and they are not a full-contact environment. Teams typically use these sessions to repeat foundational assignments, refine route and protection concepts, and establish the rhythm between the offense and the quarterback. When a running back is absent or limited in that setting, it can slow a team’s ability to run the same rep progressions with the full group. That is especially relevant in a spring where the coaching staff is still searching for continuity across multiple packages.

Croskey-Merritt’s situation is also significant because the season-to-season difference at running back can be dramatic, even without a major headline. A second-year player is often in the phase where he is learning the “next layer” of the playbook, adjusting to pass-game responsibilities and changing his reads based on coverage and blocking schemes. OTAs can help determine how quickly those adjustments stick, and whether a player is ready to be trusted in more than a narrow role.

The Commanders’ broader offseason evaluation continues regardless of one player’s availability. Over three weeks, the team has used practice time to test combinations, build timing with receivers on play-action and route concepts, and sharpen how the offensive line communicates protection. The running game, by contrast, is frequently the connective tissue across the run-pass balance, and the staff’s ability to practice that balance depends on having a stable group at skill positions.

It is also worth noting what this does not settle. With offseason injury reporting limited, any interpretation of why Croskey-Merritt is sidelined remains uncertain. Spring absences can stem from a wide range of causes, including workload management, minor issues that do not require public designation, or simply an individualized plan tied to how the player is being prepared for later phases of the offseason. In other words, a missing presence in OTAs does not automatically indicate the type of problem that would carry into training camp or the regular season.

For Washington, the immediate next question is whether the running back returns as OTAs transition into the next segments of the program, when the practices become more intense and the field work grows more specific. Teams typically rely on these later sessions to separate “can do the work” from “can do the work consistently,” particularly for players tasked with both rushing and pass-game duties. If Croskey-Merritt is back on the field soon, it would suggest the offseason plan can proceed with fewer interruptions. If he remains out, it could force Washington to adjust its internal depth plans and lean more heavily on other backs to carry reps.

Across the NFC East, spring preparation is also a quiet competition in roster-building terms. While nobody is playing games in June, the teams that create the cleanest information set in OTAs tend to have an advantage later, when coaches have fewer practice days to solve problems. For the Commanders, week-to-week changes at running back might influence how quickly they can finalize their rotation and how confidently they can install timing-dependent play calls.