It took a preseason loss and a shift in schedule for Dan Quinn to make his point.
The Washington Commanders were supposed to have a walkthrough on Monday, but Quinn scrapped that plan and turned it into a full practice instead, giving his team two straight days on the field before Wednesday’s joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens. On the surface, it was an unusual move. In Quinn’s mind, it was the right one.
“We just felt like this was a good chance to throw three more days in a row,” Quinn said. “It’ll feature today’s group more of the ones as far as the reps go. And yeah, I thought it was the right call to make.”
Quinn said the change was not just a reaction to Saturday’s 17-13 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions.
“I didn’t love all that I saw from an identity standpoint, but it wasn’t like a knee jerk reaction to that, but just kinda of where I wanna keep working with the guys, some new people in a couple locations, so I thought it was important to rep those if we could today, rep it again tomorrow, and then work it into practice Wednesday and into the game.”
For a coach known as a player’s guy, it was a notable hard edge. But this camp has carried a different tone under Quinn, and after last season’s 5-12 finish, the urgency is not hard to understand.
The players seemed to get it.
“I don’t think, you know, we really played to the standard of what we wanna do,” said rookie center Matt Gulbin. “So, I thought it was kinda good to get moving and have helmets on and have some live action.”
Frankie Luvu took a more matter-of-fact approach.
“Walkthrough, fast-paced, it don’t matter, you know what I mean,” he said. “My mind, we’re still in camp mode, so work is work.”
Right guard Sam Cosmi also backed the decision, saying the team needed the extra time after what showed up on film.
“He shouldn’t be happy with the performance of last game,” Cosmi said. “We broke down the film, and we got to see and dissect it and see what we need to work and improve on, so from that standpoint, he has a right to expect more from us.”
Quinn was blunt after Saturday’s game, and his players have clearly felt that message. With the week now building toward Baltimore, Washington has already had one answer to the coach’s challenge. The next one comes Wednesday.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Tackle Depth Concern Before Week 1
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Now Washington is left with only two tackles behind Brandon Coleman and right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. on the roster, a setup that adds a little extra pressure as the season opener approaches. It is the kind of roster detail that can disappear in the shuffle of final cuts, but for a team trying to protect its quarterbacks and settle the line, the lack of experienced depth is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Big D-Line Decision To Make
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Gervon Dexter Sr. has surfaced as one name worth watching because Chicago is reportedly engaged in trade talks involving the defensive tackle, and his profile fits the kind of opening Washington suddenly has. He started every game last season and is in the final year of his rookie deal, which makes him an intriguing possibility if the Commanders decide they need a more immediate answer, though no trade involving Washington has been confirmed. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Draft Buzz Centers On A Potential Answer At WR2
The search for a reliable second receiver has lingered around Washington, and ESPNs Jordan Reid is already projecting that need into the 2027 NFL Draft. In his preseason mock, Reid has the Commanders using the No. 10 overall pick on Indiana wideout Charlie Becker, a move built around the idea that Washington could still be looking for a true complement to its top target by then.
Beckers college production and fit are the hooks here, especially for a team that has spent plenty of time trying to stabilize the WR2 spot. It is only a mock, of course, and far from a finished plan, but the thought of Washington landing a possible answer at receiver gives the franchise another early storyline to watch as the draft buzz starts to build. [Read more 🡒]