The Washington Commanders closed off their 2022 preseason this past Saturday with a 17-15 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. While the Commanders have secured the majority of their roster ahead of Tuesday's deadline, a few spots remain open. They must now make the difficult decision of which 27 players must be eliminated in order to make the 53-man roster for Week 1. This means that a few of the players will have to accept that they will be part of Commanders roster cuts this year.

The Commanders are set to make difficult choices. Some of these decisions may even be unpopular among fans. Still, the team has just a finite number of spots to fill, so the following three Commanders roster cuts may be necessary.

3. Jaret Patterson

Jaret Patterson put on a terrific preseason performance, but it may still not be enough to secure a spot on the Commanders' 53-man roster. Recall that he was one of the finest running backs in NCAA football during his time at Buffalo, but he is now fighting for his NFL career with Washington.

With the Commanders' starters sitting out Saturday's preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens, the undrafted free agent from 2021 took the spotlight. Needless to say, he needed a strong performance to make his case to be on the 53-man roster.

Despite the Commanders' 17-15 loss against the Baltimore Ravens, the 22-year-old performed admirably. He gained 47 yards on 11 tries and received four Sam Howell passes for an additional 45 yards. Patterson pushed for tough yards and sprinted hard.

And yet, with Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic, and Brian Robinson ahead of him, Patterson still might not make the cut.

If the Commanders do decide to waive Patterson, other clubs can pick him up. He is a guy who was one of the most productive college running backs in history and has already proven he's an NFL-ready player after reaching the Commanders last season.

2. Jeremy Reaves

The Commanders' safety room has quietly emerged as a potential strength. That's thanks to good training camp and preseason performances from second-year player Darrick Forrest, youngster Percy Butler, new addition Steven Parker, and Jeremy Reaves. So much so that the coaching staff will surely struggle to decide who makes the final 53-man roster.

Bobby McCain, Kam Curl, Forrest, and Butler fill up the first four spots. The Commanders, however, might rationalize carrying a fifth safety if cornerback is a problem. Parker and Reaves are the most likely candidates.

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Fans have made an internal joke about how long Reaves has been in Washington, but he has earned those opportunities. The coaching staff, notably Ron Rivera, values Reaves' tenacity, and he has produced a memorable play in each preseason game thus far. These include a sack against Carolina and a classic tackle to stymie a Chiefs rushing play.

We all know that the Commanders value versatility in its defenders, however, and Reaves falls short here. Parker, meanwhile, has lined up in the box, at safety, and in the slot throughout the preseason. Reaves has predominantly played free safety.

If that is used against him, the 25-year-old will likely find himself outside looking in.

1. Christian Holmes

The Commanders aren't particularly deep at cornerback, but even then, Christian Holmes isn't guaranteed to make the final squad. Remember that the team has many safeties capable of guarding the slot. In addition, they frequently utilized a three-safety setup last season.

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Assuming the Commanders keep Kendall Fuller, William Jackson, Benjamin St-Juste, and Danny Johnson, Holmes becomes nearly disposable.

Following the club's Week 1 loss to Carolina, Ron Rivera stated that the club's young corners struggled with “eye discipline.” It's unclear if he was referring to Holmes. Still, it's a safe bet given that the Chiefs shredded the entire Commanders' secondary in Week 2.

The Commanders would surely be hesitant to trade a 2022 draft selection. Having said that, Holmes stands on shaky ground with one week left in the preseason. Even if he has some fan following in Washington, Holmes will still be part of Commanders roster cuts this week.