Chiefs veteran quarterback set to Appear On Washington Commanders 53-Man Roster as deal was reached
While quarterback Sam Hartman was the big UDFA name signed by the Washington Commanders it’s cornerback Chigozie Anusiem that looks most poised to grab a roster spot.
The Washington Commanders will launch into the the next phase of their offseason this week with newly drafted, signed, and invited rookies attending a minicamp at the team facility in Ashburn, Virginia starting on Friday.
For the players drafted by the Commanders, and signed as undrafted free agents (UDFAs), it’s the first step in what they hope will be a long NFL career. For tryout players, it’s a chance to show the league what they have to offer and earn a training camp invitation.
Regardless of their status entering the minicamp the goal of every player is to earn a job on the roster in Washington.
One UDFA Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler believes could do just that this season is Colorado State cornerback Chigozie Anusiem.
“A long and physical corner, Chigozie Anusiem fits the mold of what new Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn covets in his perimeter defenders,” writes Fowler. “He’s built eerily similar to the corners already in Washington.”
Anusiem is six-foot-one and weighs around 200 lbs. which, as Fowler pointed out, is right in the ballpark of the other Commanders cornerbacks on the roster.
He probably most closely resembles cornerback Christian Holmes who the team lists at the same height and five pounds heavier.
NFL.com’s draft profile on the prospect described Anusiem as a, “big, strong outside corenrback whose lack of ball production could cancel out his favorable size.”
The profile also projects he could transition to safety.
“A long and physical corner, Chigozie Anusiem fits the mold of what new Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn covets in his perimeter defenders,” Fowler wrote. ” … Anusiem’s ability to seamlessly work downhill as a Cover 3 corner should give him a floor for success in the NFL.”
Even on a bad defense, the Commanders’ secondary was especially porous last season — they gave up more passing yards (4,627) and passing touchdowns (39) than any team in the NFL in 2023 and opposing quarterbacks completed almost 70 percent of their passes against Washington.
Anusiem Went From Pac-12 to Mountain West
Anusiem spent four seasons at Cal from 2018 to 2021 and only played in 25 games over those four seasons, including six starts.
He transferred to Colorado State for the last two seasons, where he blossomed. Anusiem earned honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2022 and 2023 and only missed one game over two years.
One knock on Anusiem? He only had one interception in six years in college.
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein had Anusiem, 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, projected as a sixth or seventh round pick — enough size that a position switch is possible.
“Anusiem is a big, strong outside cornerback whose lack of ball production could cancel out his favorable size,” Zierlein wrote.
