Report: Washington Commanders signing Sam Hartman to practice squad

After being waived by the Washington Commanders on Tuesday, Sam Hartman has landed on the franchise’s practice squad on Wednesday.

The undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame faced an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but he’ll be able to continue the work he’s already put in with Washington moving forward, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.

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“The #Commanders are signing QB Sam Hartman to the practice squad, per source,” Pelissero posted on X.

The former Fighting Irish and Wake Forest star quarterback was determined to make the team’s roster, but it wasn’t meant to be after he sustained a shoulder injury ahead of Washington’s second preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 17.

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That put a damper on his chances to make the active roster, and now he’ll be relegated to the practice squad. Still, it’s not the worst thing in the world, and he’ll be able to try and work his way onto the active roster at some point.

Meanwhile, if the NFL doesn’t work out for Hartman, he has an interesting backup plan. Earlier this summer, the UFL Champion Birmingham Stallions selected the former Notre Dame quarterback in the 2024 college draft.

While Hartman ended up signing a contract with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL Draft, he was still eligible to have his UFL rights picked up. Now that the former Fighting Irish star didn’t land a job on the Commanders’ 53-man roster, he could play in the spring for Birmingham, if he chooses.

As it stands, UFL contracts allow players to sign deals with an “NFL out,” which lets them play in the big leagues during the season. The team that drafts a player holds their exclusive rights until the player reports to the team or the team gives up that player’s rights.

Moreover, the Stallions had the last pick of the round in the 10-round draft and selected Hartman with their ninth choice. Birmingham, coached by Skip Holtz, went 8-2 during the regular season on their way to the league title. 

For now, the Commanders practice squad is where Sam Hartman will end up, but who knows what the future holds.