The Washington Commanders are back on the road in Week 5, as they face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Washington is coming off a disappointing 34-27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, its second road loss of the season.
Can the Commanders pick up their first road win against the 3-1 Chargers?
Washington and Los Angeles are Fox’s NFL Game of the Week for Week 5, with a Sunday afternoon kickoff. That means the GOAT, Tom Brady, will be on the call for Fox. Brady isn’t the only notable name who’ll be in the booth for Sunday’s game.
Former Washington coach Ron Rivera, who served as the Commanders’ head coach and de facto GM from 2020-23, will be on the radio call for Sports USA. Since he was fired as Washington’s coach in January 2024, Rivera has worked in various media ventures and also serves as the football general manager for his alma mater, the University of California, Berkeley (also known as the California Golden Bears).
To our knowledge, this is the first time Rivera will be in the same building as the Commanders since his dismissal.
He’ll see a roster that looks vastly different than the one he left GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. None of Rivera’s four first-round picks are on Washington’s roster. Only two of his second-round picks (Sam Cosmi and Quan Martin) remain on the roster, and none of his third-round picks remain. Rivera’s poor track record of roster management is the primary reason why Peters’ rebuilding efforts focused on older, veteran players, because he had no depth from the four previous drafts.
We’re not going to rehash Rivera’s poor draft choices and the players he passed up for the likes of Jamin Davis, Jahan Dotson and Emmanuel Forbes. Let’s just say Washington’s roster would be in much better shape if he had at least hit on his first-round picks. Only six of Rivera’s draft picks remain on the roster, with only three (Cosmi, John Bates, and Percy Butler) having signed a second contract with the Commanders. Chris Paul, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Martin are other three remaining Rivera draft picks.
So, when you’re frustrated watching Washington struggle at times and having to rely on older veterans, just remember why the Commanders have some roster limitations; they’re still trying to dig out of them. Peters and Quinn have done a remarkable job making the Commanders so good so fast. Of course, it helps to have Jayden Daniels, who could make his return on Sunday after missing the last two games.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Ron Rivera is on the radio call for Week 5
