Antwaun Powell-Ryland
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The Commanders should consider signing Antwaun Powell-Ryland off the Eagles practice squad
For all intents and purposes, the Washington Commanders have enjoyed a successful offseason. They added to their team that made an unexpected run to the NFC Championship Game last year and resolved their contract drama with star wide receiver Terry McLaurin, but most importantly, they have continuity heading into the new year.
And yet, the Commanders aren’t perfect, because no team, not even the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, is perfect. With that in mind, they could look to beef up their roster while hurting the Eagles in the process by potentially looking to add one of Philly’s practice squad players to their team.
Commanders Should Sign Antwaun Powell-Ryland to Their Active Roster
Powell-Ryland was selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Eagles. Philadelphia lost several key pieces of its defensive line this offseason, such as Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, and Brandon Graham, so it wasn’t surprising to see them take a flier on Powell-Ryland after a successful close to his collegiate career with the Virginia Tech Hokies.
It was a bit of a surprise to see that Powell-Ryland did not make the team’s 53-man roster, but the Eagles’ gamble paid off, as he went unclaimed and was quickly signed to their practice squad. However, if a team wants to sign him to their active roster, they could do that and steal him from Philadelphia.
Considering the state of their defensive line and need for pass-rushing help, the Commanders are a team that could conceivably add Powell-Ryland to their team and attempt to develop him on the fly. That’s what Jonathan Eig of Riggo’s Rag thinks the team should do, as he believes the opportunity for Washington to strengthen their own roster, while also weakening Philadelphia’s, is too good to pass up.
“In his final two seasons with the Hokies, he registered 25.5 sacks, the most of any FBS player in that time,” Eig wrote of Powell-Hyland. “Whether he can do that against NFL linemen remains to be seen. But on a team that is in real need of pass rushers — especially young ones — it seems like a pretty good gamble … Washington has some excess space with three quarterbacks and seven linebackers on the current 53. Hurting the Eagles only sweetens the pot.”
Should the Commanders Sign Antwaun Powell-Hyland?
Antwaun Powell-Ryland
GettyThe Commanders should consider signing Antwaun Powell-Ryland off the Eagles practice squad
Powell-Hyland’s production in college is obviously quite impressive, but whether or not he can translate it to the NFL remains to be seen. The Eagles have the ability to develop Powell-Hyland behind the scenes, but if the Commanders feel good about his potential, they could offer him a chance to find his way onto the field as a rookie.
Washington would have to maneuver its roster a bit in order to create space for Powell-Hyland, but as noted above, they have several areas they could trim down to make room for him. At this stage of the game, it may be a bit risky to take a shot on Powell-Hyland since he’d have to be on their active roster, but the chance to hit Philadelphia with a double whammy could be too good to pass up.