Beloved former Commanders star’s future in doubt after major draft overhaul

The NFL Draft brings a new crop of hopefuls into the league. That gives teams an injection of energy, but it leaves some previously established veterans facing an anxious wait regarding their respective statuses.

For one beloved former Washington Commanders player, he looks further down the pecking order than ever after his current employers added one of the college's football's most dynamic running backs into the fold.

Antonio Gibson looked like a potential superstar once upon a time, going over 1,000 rushing yards and boasting the three-down capabilities Washington desperately craved. Things plummeted considerably after that, and the new regime opted not to bring him back last spring.

Gibson found a new home quickly, signing a pretty decent three-year deal with the New England Patriots. History is now repeating itself for the player, who must impress a new coaching staff after the AFC East club hired Mike Vrabel as head coach this offseason.

Former Commanders RB Antonio Gibson could be a cut candidate for the Patriots

Not only that, but the Patriots also spent a second-round selection on TreVeyon Henderson, who comes into the NFL with a glowing reputation. The Ohio State graduate is looking to make his presence felt immediately, leading Bernd Buchmasser from SB Nation to speculate whether Gibson could be a salary-cap casualty when it's all said and done.

The dead money would outweigh the net salary cap gain in Gibson’s case ($3.175M vs. $400k), but that would not prevent the team from letting him go. What might, though, is the current running back depth chart: even with second-round draft pick TreVeyon Henderson now on board and providing a similar profile as Gibson, New England might benefit from keeping the veteran around as a rotational No. 3 at the position.Bernd Buchmasser

Rhamondre Stevenson and Henderson look like the starting tandem in New England. Gibson could be kept around as a pass-catching specialist, but his $4.5 million salary-cap number is no doubt expensive for a No. 3 option.

The stakes have been raised for Gibson in no uncertain terms. He's got the talent to make things interesting, but a new staff has its own ideas on how best to take the franchise forward. Although understandable, it decreases his margin for error considerably.

As for the Commanders? They have their own running back dynamic to solve.

Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, and Chris Rodriguez Jr. all got reprieves this offseason despite the ground game's regression over the second half of 2024 and into the playoffs. However, the addition of the seventh-round selection Jacory Croksey-Merritt could shake things up considerably.

Gibson needs to respond positively to the raised competition. Anything less comes with potentially grave consequences attached.