In the wake of a disastrous 2025 season, Washington Commanders Coach Dan Quinn knew the franchise was in need of wholesale change. This offseason, that manifested itself in new faces throughout the coaching staff and roster.
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As training camp got underway Wednesday in Ashburn, so did the next step of Quinn’s vision: Having more intense, focused and purposeful practices. That’s something several returning players wanted to see, and Quinn came to agree.
“If the practices are right, the victories follow because your intention is right, your details are right, the discipline’s right,” Quinn said. “ … That’s why I’m just hammering that over and over and over.”
Last season, Utah Jazz Coach Will Hardy and guard Keyonte George visited the Commanders. George was in the midst of a breakout third season in the NBA, which prompted a question about why he believed he had made such a jump. He said it was getting in “crazy shape,” which left a lasting impression with Quinn. He brought it up during organized team activities this offseason and tasked the players with that assignment going into training camp.
“It was proof,” Quinn said. “That was my message: To say, ‘In these five weeks, there’s another level that we all can get to.’”
The Commanders aren’t allowed to use pads yet because of NFL rules, but that didn’t stop them from practicing with an edge during team drills Wednesday. It set a tone that they hope carries forward.
“It was competitive,” quarterback Jayden Daniels said. “[We just wanted to] get the juices flowing and get the guys ready.”
Quinn is breaking training camp into six “blocks” with different focus areas. The competitive periods of this week’s practices will largely be focused on red zone work. As camp progresses, the team will shift its emphasis while incrementally ramping up.
“By doing that, you can just focus on those four days or those three days,” Quinn said. “You can also get the feedback. Did we do what we said we were going to do?”
Here are takeaways from the Commanders’ first practice of training camp:
The multiplicity of the revamped defense stood out as coordinator Daronte Jones frequently used both four-man and five-man fronts. Javon Kinlaw, Tim Settle, Daron Payne and Charles Omenihu rotated along the interior defensive line for the first-team unit, with Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson on the edge.
“When you’re playing with a D-line that’s got a lot of talent and a lot of depth, it helps everybody,” Omenihu said. “ … It’s exciting. I love it. You’ve got edge guys like KC and Oweh, and for us inside guys that makes it easier to just push that pocket when you know that quarterback’s going to step up. You have a chance to get busy on a guard, and you can do that knowing that those guys are covering you.”
Leo Chenal often lined up as a Sam linebacker and also rotated in at inside linebacker, alongside Frankie Luvu and Sonny Styles. Washington’s versatile front allows it to throw a variety of looks at the offense while rushing the passer and create more one-on-one matchups.
“It’s huge,” Chenal said. “It’s just going to make the ball come out quicker and make it easier for everybody at the end of the day.”
The defense also had plenty of movement on the back end. Amik Robertson and Mike Sainristil took most of the snaps at outside cornerback. At times, Sainristil moved inside at nickelback and was replaced on the outside by Ahkello Witherspoon.
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Safety Nick Cross also spent some time at nickelback. Cross, Jeremy Reaves, Quan Martin and Will Harris rotated at safety.
The rotation is partially due to position battles, of course, but it’s also a feature of the defense. That plan was executed Wednesday as the defense got the better of the offense.
The defensive line, in particular, frequently made plays in the backfield — both in the pass and run game. The unit came on in waves, which was the vision when General Manager Adam Peters poured resources into the position group this offseason.
“I especially love it when it gets to third down,” Omenihu said. “It’s a great scheme for the D-line to go out there and eat.”
The offense is clearly still working to find its rhythm. The Commanders’ pass catchers struggled to separate during practice, which led to the quarterbacks holding the ball longer and putting stress on the offensive line.
There shouldn’t be any sweeping judgments made off the first day of camp, but that’s obviously not a formula for success on offense.
In a positive for the offense, new coordinator David Blough put some wrinkles on display. Tight end Chig Okonkwo, for instance, spent time lined up as an inline tight end, slot receiver, outside receiver and fullback.
Daniels took a notable number of snaps from under center. He almost exclusively operated from the pistol and shotgun in the first two years of his career, but he’s rolling with the adjustment.
“I’m more comfortable than I was in the spring. It just comes with reps,” Daniels said. “I’ve got more of a grasp and concept of how [Blough] wants to do things. … Turning my back to the defense isn’t a problem. It’s a weapon for me. I’m trying to master it in every way I can.”
The Commanders also mixed up their personnel groupings and frequently used formations with multiple tight ends.
Punter Tress Way (pectoral), linebacker Kain Medrano (hamstring), cornerback Trey Amos (fibula) and defensive ends Deatrich Wise (quad) and Dorance Armstrong (ACL) didn’t practice Wednesday.
The Commanders made some roster moves Wednesday: They signed wide receiver River Cracraft and punter Matt Haack, released outside linebacker Andre Carter and tight end Anthony Firkser, and activated cornerback Fred Davis II off the active/non-football illness list.
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