As the Commanders' training camp continues, the focus has remained on refining skills and strategy, with a significant emphasis on red-zone work. The camp, now in its sixth day, has seen players don full pads for the second time, with fans eagerly watching from the sidelines.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels has been sharing first-team reps with Marcus Mariota, showcasing his arm strength and precision. During the 11-on-11 sessions, Daniels launched a deep ball up the right sideline, perfectly connecting with Olamide Zaccheaus. This play was followed by another impressive sideline pass to Jahan Dotson and a solid throw to Terry McLaurin on the opposite side.
In the final team session, Daniels continued to demonstrate his potential by completing a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz after finding Dotson. However, not all was smooth for Daniels; he experienced a fumbled handoff with Jeremy McNichols and a series of consecutive missed throws.
On the offensive line, Brandon Coleman has been a versatile presence. Playing both left and right tackle with the first and second teams, Coleman has faced off against seasoned veterans like Dorance Armstrong Jr., Dante Fowler Jr., and Clelin Ferrell. Reflecting on his performance, 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.'"
The nuances of professional play are becoming more apparent to Coleman. "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," he remarked.
On the defensive side, Mike Sainristil has been a consistent figure, actively participating in the starting defense and contributing to the return game. His approach to the game is relentless: "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."
Jahan Dotson has also been a standout performer throughout camp. His continuous improvement and swift playing style have not gone unnoticed. "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," Dotson explained.
The camp has also given Jer'Zhan Newton his first-ever first-team reps. In a notable play, Newton forced McNichols to change direction, showcasing his defensive prowess.
Young defenders K.J. Henry and Javontae Jean-Baptiste have made significant impacts during practice, adding depth to the Commanders' defensive lineup. Additionally, kicker Ramiz Ahmed has been flawless during the team portions, making all his field goal attempts, including a 51-yarder with ease.
Zaccheaus and Dotson's consistency has been vital for the team, ensuring that they remain favored targets for the quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Tremayne bounced back from an early drop to make two downfield catches from Mariota, demonstrating resilience and determination.
As the Commanders' training camp progresses, the blend of veteran presence and emerging talent is setting a promising tone for the upcoming season.