As the Commanders continue their training camp, the team’s emphasis on red-zone work appears to be paying dividends. The sixth day of camp, and the third with fans present, showcased players honing their skills in full pads for the second time.
Quarterback Battle Heats Up
Jayden Daniels is currently sharing first-team snaps with Marcus Mariota, and his performance during Tuesday's practice has been a mixed bag. Daniels demonstrated his arm strength with a deep pass to Olamide Zaccheaus along the right sideline during 11-on-11 drills. He also connected with Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin on the opposite sideline, displaying his ability to make plays under pressure.
However, Daniels faced challenges, including a bungled handoff with Jeremy McNichols and a series of successive missed throws. Despite these difficulties, his resilience shone through in the final team session, where he found Dotson and completed a crucial touchdown pass to Zach Ertz.
Offensive Line Adjustments
The offensive line has also been a focal point during training camp, with Brandon Coleman logging time at both left and right tackle with the first and second teams. Coleman faced tough competition against veteran defenders like Dorance Armstrong Jr., Dante Fowler Jr., and Clelin Ferrell.
Reflecting on his performance, Coleman mentioned, "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 is keenly aware of the transition from college to professional football, adding, "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."
Defensive Standouts
On the defensive side, Mike Sainristil has been a constant presence on the starting unit, also contributing in the return game. "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," Sainristil explained.
Jer'Zhan Newton and K.J. Henry, who have both been given opportunities to shine with the first-team defense, made significant contributions. Newton forced McNichols to cut back during a play, while Henry and Javontae Jean-Baptiste made their presence felt in various drills.
Special Teams Consistency
On special teams, kicker Ramiz Ahmed put on an impressive display, not missing any field goals during the team portion of Tuesday’s practice. Ahmed's kicks were accurate, hitting from as far as 51 yards with ease.
Star Performers
Jahan Dotson continues to be one of the most consistent performers in camp, catching several key passes and routinely finding himself in the right place at the right time. Dotson's improvement is evident, and he spoke about his growing confidence, stating, "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."
Tremayne also showed promise, recovering from an early drop to make two significant downfield catches from Mariota. These moments revealed his potential to become a reliable target as camp progresses.
With several players stepping up and making notable plays, the Commanders' training camp is shaping up to be a critical period for fine-tuning skills and finalizing the roster. The emphasis on both the offensive and defensive fronts, as well as special teams, underscores the holistic approach the team is taking in preparation for the upcoming season.