As the Commanders' training camp continues to unfold, the players are honing their skills, with a laser focus on the critical red-zone work. This camp, already a hotbed of competition and intense practice, saw its sixth day of action on Tuesday, the third day with fans in attendance, and notably, the second day in full pads. The training camp is providing fertile ground for emerging talents and seasoned veterans alike to make their presence felt.
Quarterback Battle
At the heart of the action is Jayden Daniels, who is currently splitting first-team reps with Marcus Mariota. Daniels has made several notable plays, hitting Olamide Zaccheaus with a deep ball up the right sideline during 11-on-11 sessions and connecting with Jahan Dotson along the sideline. Daniels also showed his arm strength with a solid throw to Terry McLaurin up the opposite sideline. However, consistency remains a challenge; Daniels experienced a bungled handoff with Jeremy McNichols and a series of missed throws. Despite these hiccups, he ended the final team session on a high note, finding Dotson and completing a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz.
Offensive Line Dynamics
Brandon Coleman has been a versatile presence on the offensive line, playing with both the first and second teams at left and right tackle. His adaptability was put to the test as he faced off against seasoned veterans like Dorance Armstrong Jr., Dante Fowler Jr., and Clelin Ferrell. Reflecting on his approach to the day’s practice, Coleman said, "There's always like three points in my brain that I'm telling myself in the next period if I didn't do it well. Like today, it was my hands were pretty bad in the first period. I was like, 'Work on my hands, work on my balance, keep my chest up.'" Coleman highlighted the difference between college and the pros, noting, "D-linemen in the league have a bunch of secondary and third moves. Their knowledge of what o-linemen do is so vast compared to college... That's stuff that I just have to engrain in my brain, like shit’s not over until the whistle blows."
Receivers and Defense Showcasing Talent
Tremayne made significant strides after an early drop, hauling in two downfield catches from Mariota. Meanwhile, Jahan Dotson has been one of the most consistent performers in camp, attributing his improvement to growing comfort and speed: "I feel like I'm just getting more comfortable, and that's enabling me to play faster and faster. That's been a big emphasis for me."
On the defensive side, Mike Sainristil has been a constant presence and is also contributing to the return game. Sainristil's dedication to playing hard until the whistle blows was evident: "Part of it is just my play style. I'm a guy that's gonna go hard until the whistle's blown. And then the second part of it is just getting myself to make that second nature for me, so that when it comes game time, I don’t even have to think about stuff like that."
Rising Stars on Defense
Jer'Zhan Newton got his first taste of first-team reps, making an immediate impact by forcing McNichols to cut back during a play. Additionally, K.J. Henry and Javontae Jean-Baptiste made their presence strongly felt during practice, continuing to build their cases for increased roles as the camp progresses.
Kicking Excellence
Special teams have seen standout performances as well, particularly from kicker Ramiz Ahmed, who did not miss any field goals during the team portion of Tuesday’s practice. Ahmed demonstrated impressive range, hitting field goals from as far as 51 yards with plenty of distance, cementing his reliability in front of the coaching staff and fans alike.
As training camp advances, the Commanders are seeing a blend of promising young talent and dependable veterans rise to the occasion. With each passing day, strides are being made in various facets of the game, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting season ahead.