The Washington Commanders didn’t just get the better of the Miami Dolphins in a joint practice - they set the pace with the kind of intensity and physicality head coach Dan Quinn had to love. There were a few spots that still looked shaky, but on the whole Washington came out swinging, and the defense in particular made life miserable for Miami’s offense.
That was the backdrop for Javontae Jean-Baptiste to reintroduce himself.
The edge rusher has been easy to forget over the past year. Washington’s 2024 seventh-round pick had already made the roster once, but his season was derailed in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle and landed on season-ending injured reserve. Now healthy again, he used the joint practice to make a loud statement.
Jean-Baptiste was around the ball constantly. He generated pressure almost every time Miami tried to settle in, and people watching the session noticed how often he was flashing. For a player still fighting to secure his place on the roster, it was exactly the kind of performance that can change the conversation.
He also looks like a different player physically. The Notre Dame product appears leaner and more defined, and that matters for someone trying to prove he can handle another step forward. Staying relevant was the goal for him this offseason, and this was the strongest sign yet that he’s serious about doing it.
Of course, the path is crowded. Washington added major pieces on the edge this offseason, bringing in Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency.
Both have been excellent so far. Dorance Armstrong Jr. is back on the field after his breakout year was cut short by a torn ACL, and rookie fifth-rounder Joshua Josephs has also been showing real progress.
That makes Jean-Baptiste’s job tougher. But there may still be a lane if the Commanders lean on free-agent pickup Charles Omenihu and returning Deatrich Wise Jr. on the 3-4 defensive front. If that rotation develops the way Washington hopes, Jean-Baptiste could have a real chance to force his way in.
He has already shown some pass-rushing ability in regular-season action, and the flashes were there before his second-year momentum was stopped cold by injury. Now he’s trying to make up for lost time. If he can keep creating the same kind of disruption throughout the preseason, the door is still open.
The Dolphins may not be a perfect measuring stick for what comes next, so there will be a natural asterisk on the performance. Even so, if this becomes the start of a strong finish to Washington’s preseason work, Jean-Baptiste could absolutely put himself in position to survive the cut.
After so much time away, just getting his football legs back under him is a win. But this kind of surge does more than that - it gives Jean-Baptiste a real confidence boost, and it’s the sort of showing that Quinn, Jones, and general manager Adam Peters are unlikely to ignore.
In Other News...
Commanders Have 5 Players Under Pressure In Dolphins Practice
Wednesdays joint practice with the Dolphins offers the Commanders a useful mid-August measuring stick, and for a handful of players it is a chance to make the next few days matter. Ahead of Fridays preseason game, Antonio Williams, Julian Good-Jones, Brandon Coleman, Sonny Styles and Mike Sainristil are all set to be watched closely as Washington sorts through roles, reps and roster value.
For players trying to carve out a place on the team, this is the kind of setting that can move the needle. The pace is sharper than a normal camp session and the evaluation is more direct, which is why this workout could be especially important for those five as they try to turn a practice opportunity into real playing time. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Left Joint Practice With One Early Problem They Cant Ignore
The Commanders got an early look at where they still need work in their joint practice with the Dolphins, and special teams stood out quickly as a problem area. Miami found room on kick returns, exposing Washingtons coverage unit and reminding everyone that the third phase of the game can swing momentum long before the offense or defense settle in.
Special teams coordinator Larry Izzo and the staff have time to clean it up, and they will need to, because the Commanders have several young, athletic players who could help stabilize that unit if they take to the job. Joint practices are built to surface issues like this before the games matter, and Washington came away with one of the less flattering reminders a coach can get. [Read more 🡒]