Commanders Release Safety Will Harris; Drake Jackson Placed on Injured Reserve

The Washington Commanders released veteran safety Will Harris on Tuesday and moved linebacker Drake Jackson to injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders released veteran safety Will Harris on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 09:14 AM ET. Harris, who entered the previous season as a starter, was cut after appearing in only two games for Washington last year before a fractured fibula forced him onto injured reserve until Week 13. The team also moved linebacker Drake Jackson to injured reserve following a hamstring injury, complicating his return from a 2023 torn patellar tendon.

Roster Shifts in the Secondary

Will Harris was entering his seventh NFL season before his release. The Detroit Lions originally selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, where he spent his first four professional years. Following his tenure in Detroit, Harris signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints in 2024. He subsequently joined Washington on a two-year deal in 2025. Despite his veteran status, Harris was overtaken on the depth chart this summer by free agent acquisition Nick Cross and veteran Jeremy Reaves. Both players worked ahead of Harris from the early stages of training camp.

Coach Dan Quinn noted that Quan Martin, another veteran in the defensive backfield, performed well during summer practices. The emergence of these three players contributed to the decision to move on from Harris. The Commanders' defensive unit is now under the direction of new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. Jones previously served as the pass game coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings for three years, a role in which he frequently utilized three-safety alignments.

Injury Updates and Linebacker Depth

Drake Jackson’s placement on injured reserve marks another setback for the linebacker, who was a second-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. Jackson has been attempting to recover from a major knee injury sustained in 2023. The current hamstring issue sidelined him during the final roster evaluations in Ashburn.

Washington’s defensive staff evaluated the safety position extensively throughout the preseason before finalizing these transactions. The departure of Harris leaves the safety rotation to Cross, Reaves, and Martin as the primary contributors. The team’s defensive scheme under Jones will continue to evolve as they integrate the remaining personnel ahead of the regular season opener.

Career Trajectory and Statistics

Harris’s time in Washington was defined by his early-season starts followed by a long recovery period. After starting the first two contests of the 2025 campaign, his fractured fibula kept him inactive for ten consecutive weeks. He did not return to the field until the final stretch of the season in Week 13. The veteran safety’s release comes one year after he was expected to be a cornerstone of the secondary.

Jackson’s injury history continues to be a factor in his availability. His transition from San Francisco to Washington was intended to provide depth at the linebacker position, but the torn patellar tendon from two seasons ago and the new hamstring strain have limited his on-field contributions. The Commanders have not specified a timeline for his return from the injured reserve list. These roster moves were reported by John Keim, who has covered the Washington franchise since 1994 and currently reports for ESPN Richmond radio and digital platforms.