Hampton recorded five total tackles (two solo) in Friday's 48-18 preseason loss to the Patriots, but he will now be looking for a new opportunity elsewhere. The linebacker appeared in one regular-season game with the Commanders in 2024, failing to record any stats while playing six special-teams snaps. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, it's certainly possible that Hampton sticks around Washington as a member of the team's practice squad.
The Commanders selected Hampton in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 161st overall.
The two-year starter for Washington has bounced around a litany of different starting secondary spots over the course of his six-year collegiate career, but Hampton finally seemed to find his home as a strong safety, leading the team in tackles (105) last season. Given Hampton's 6-foot-2 height and freakishly long arms/wingspan, the soon-to-be 24-year-old will probably stick at safety at the professional level. It's possible the Commanders shift prized offseason signee Jeremy Chinn back over to free safety to make room for Hampton as a box safety early on, but more than likely the rookie will have to carve out a role on special teams to begin his career.
