The Commanders got a rough look at where things stand in a joint practice with the Ravens, and right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. didn’t sugarcoat it afterward.
Asked to assess the session before Washington’s third preseason game Friday evening at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, Conerly described it as uneven.
“A little bit of ups and downs from our side,” Conerly said.
He said the group was in a better place once the practice settled down.
“Overall, I feel our communication was right, and we were flowing. We started out slow, and then picking it up, picking it up, and we finished alright.” He saw some positives in their communication and pass protection, but mentioned the run game needed some attention.
Conerly pointed to a lack of rhythm in the run game and some moving parts up front as part of the issue.
“Really just getting the call a little bit more. I feel like we were just out of sync a little bit with our combos, and there was a little bit of mix-up in the lineup as well.
So there were some guys next to each other that haven’t worked next to each other at all this whole camp. But we made it work, and we got going eventually.”
He also noted that when players are thrown next to unfamiliar teammates and the lineup gets shuffled, it creates the same kind of challenge you’d expect with any new coworkers.
That “ups and downs” line may have been the polite version. By most accounts, Baltimore controlled the bulk of the practice, especially early, before Washington steadied itself late and finally started to handle the Ravens’ physical defense. The offensive line had a hard time for much of the day, and the changes along the line were a big part of that.
Still, it’s August. It was practice, not a game that counts, and this is exactly the stage where coaches want to test combinations and let problems show up now instead of later. The Commanders got a dose of adversity, and eventually, they started to answer it.
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What Dan Quinn wants next is a more complete version of the back who already proved he can help carry the offense. The challenge now is pass protection, the kind of detail that can decide whether a runner is viewed as a situational weapon or a true three-down option, and that distinction could ripple through the Commanders roster plans. Elsewhere on the depth chart, defensive back Malik Spencer was waived with an injury designation and, after going unclaimed, reverted to injured reserve. [Read more 🡒]