ASHBURN, Va. - The Commanders are using camp to build something sharper, tougher and a lot less comfortable, and Dan Quinn is making sure everyone feels it.
Longer practices. More time in pads.
Conditioning in the DMV heat. More live, game-like work.
That’s the shape of this camp, and it’s been especially important for the two new coordinators, David Blough on offense and Daronte Jones on defense. Washington has leaned heavily into 11-on-11 work, much of it in “call it” periods, where coaches are making calls on the fly instead of running through a script.
For Blough and Jones, it’s real-time teaching. For Quinn, it’s part of the hard edge he wants back in the building after what he saw as a softer 2025 season.
That edge is showing up in the secondary. Amik Robertson and Mike Sainristil have both been playing with chips on their shoulders, and that’s helped push the younger corners, including Trey Amos. Safety Jeremy Reaves fits that same mold, another player who had to earn everything the hard way.
Blough’s offense is not just a repackaged version of what Washington has done before. There are traces of the Kliff Kingsbury system he worked in over the past two years, along with some of the Sean McVay-influenced ideas he played under Kevin O’Connell.
But the biggest influence, by far, comes from Ben Johnson. That shift matters for Jayden Daniels, who enters his third season after an injury-stricken sophomore year.
The Commanders want Daniels to show more of what he can do as a passer, and play-action and keeper concepts should help bring that out. But there’s another layer to it, too: Blough is putting more on Daniels at the line of scrimmage.
Cadence, kills and checks before the snap are all part of the package now, and Daniels has already shown he can handle it. Internally, there’s a real sense that the staff is eager for the rest of the league to see what Daniels becomes in 2026, especially since so many people seem to have forgotten 2024.
One thing that should make life easier for him is the receiver group. Washington believes it has eight NFL-quality wideouts in camp, which is going to make roster decisions plenty difficult in a couple of weeks.
Terry McLaurin is back to being Terry McLaurin, with last year’s contract drama out of the way. Stefon Diggs has been the difference-maker in the room, stepping into a leadership role just as he did last year in New England and helping set the tone alongside McLaurin.
There’s real movement among the younger receivers, too. Luke McCaffrey has taken another step, and rookie Antonio Williams is already drawing attention because he can play both the Z and F spots, a strong fit for the new system.
The offensive line is where the uncertainty really starts. Losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps changed the picture fast. The Commanders think there’s a chance he could return for the playoffs, but they won’t know for another 6-8 weeks, so the current plan assumes he’s out for the year.
Washington briefly explored moving Josh Conerly Jr. back to the college position he played, but the staff backed off because of how much progress he’s made at right tackle. He’s gotten bigger and stronger there, and the team didn’t want to ask him to rewire everything now only to switch him back next season.
So Brandon Coleman is set to handle left tackle again after doing it as a rookie in 2024, with Chris Paul at left guard. At center, veteran Nick Allegretti is holding off Julian Good-Jones and rookie Matt Gulbin.
And right guard Sam Cosmi may have been the best lineman on the field through camp, bouncing back from an injury-hit 2024.
Jones’s defense, meanwhile, is built to keep offenses guessing. It’s going to be multiple, flexible and full of moving parts, which means Washington needs players who can line up in different spots.
Up front, the Commanders appear to have several of them. Javon Kinlaw has shown he can move around the formation.
Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson, brought in from the Chargers and Patriots, respectively, look like the kind of athletic edge pieces Jones can use in a variety of ways. No. 7 pick Sonny Styles belongs in that group, too.
He has matched the buzz around him and looks physically freakish, even by NFL standards.
In Other News...
Commanders Could Face A Costly Joey Porter Jr. Decision
The cornerback market is starting to feel a little more interesting, and Washington is right in the middle of it. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, multiple teams are keeping an eye on whether the Steelers might be open to moving Joey Porter Jr., a Pro Bowl-caliber defender who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Pittsburghs cap situation has made the possibility at least worth monitoring, and any conversation would almost certainly begin with the kind of compensation that usually comes with a premium young corner.
For the Commanders, the appeal is obvious. Cornerback remains a need, and injuries have only sharpened the urgency of finding more reliable help on the back end. Porter would fit the profile of a player worth pursuing, but he would also come with a price tag that could force Washington to weigh immediate help against the cost of paying to get it. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels May Finally Have The Support Washington Needed
The Commanders spent the offseason reshaping the help around Jayden Daniels, and the changes start with the staff. Kliff Kingsbury is out as offensive coordinator, replaced by David Blough, who was promoted from assistant quarterbacks coach, and the move is being framed as a chance to better tailor the offense to Daniels strengths. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Blough is expected to help Daniels maximize his abilities, particularly by leaning into the quarterbacks football IQ and his command at the line.
Washington has also tried to fortify the supporting cast, with free-agent receiver Stefon Diggs stepping into a leadership role alongside Terry McLaurin. Even with those additions, the bigger question still hangs over the offense: whether Daniels can stay healthy and whether the unit can hold up after losing starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Those are the kinds of variables that can decide whether all this support actually turns into progress. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Have 3 Roster Races Fans Need To Watch Vs Lions
After a win over the Dolphins, the Commanders are turning their attention to their next preseason test against the Lions, and the roster picture is still taking shape. Dan Quinn said several starters are expected to play, though the exact plan has not been set, which should give this game a little more weight than a typical August tune-up for a team still sorting through the back end of the roster.
The most interesting eyes will be on the cornerback group without Trey Amos, the safety spot next to Nick Cross, and the race for the third wide receiver role behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. Those jobs may not decide the season, but in a camp where every rep counts, this is the kind of game that can separate a candidate from the crowd and start to clarify who is really trending toward a spot. [Read more 🡒]