The Washington Commanders opened training camp on Wednesday, and with the pads finally coming on, the first real look at this roster is here. Most of the starting jobs appear spoken for, but there are still a few spots that can shift before camp ends. That makes this stretch especially important for players trying to lock down roles, rebuild momentum, or show they belong in bigger plans.
A few Commanders enter camp with far more pressure than the rest, and the list starts in the backfield with Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
Croskey-Merritt flashed right away as a rookie, putting up an 82-yard game in Week 1 and then breaking through for his first 100-yard performance in Week 5. The production cooled off after that, though, and he finished the season with 805 yards and eight touchdowns. That’s a solid rookie year, but Washington’s offseason moves made the message pretty clear: the team wasn’t ready to keep leaning on him alone in 2026.
The Commanders added Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, and rookie Kaytron Allen, which puts Croskey-Merritt in a much tighter fight than he had a year ago. If he looks sharper in camp, he can still hold onto the top spot. But with that much competition around him, there’s no room for a slow start.
Antonio Williams is in a different kind of spot. He’s a third-round rookie, so putting him on a “most to prove” list feels a little harsh on the surface. But Washington’s receiver depth is thin enough that the team may not have much choice but to lean on him early.
Williams arrives with a strong résumé, having established himself as one of the best receivers in Clemson history. The talent is there.
The question now is how quickly he can absorb the offense and whether he can look ready for the WR2 job right away. For Washington, this camp is about finding out how fast that transition can happen.
Jer’Zhan Newton also has a lot riding on this summer. The Commanders took him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the idea that he could eventually replace Jonathan Allen, but he hasn’t fully reached that level yet. He has shown progress, though, and in 2025 he posted 38 tackles, four tackles for loss, and five sacks.
That was a step in the right direction, but Washington wants more. Newton needs to keep making plays and prove he deserves a major role in 2026. With Daron Payne set to hit free agency after 2026 and Javon Kinlaw coming off an underwhelming 2025, the path is there for Newton to establish himself as a long-term piece on the defensive front.
Then there’s Mike Sainristil, whose situation has already changed once this offseason. He had a strong rookie season in 2024 while playing on the boundary, but last year the Commanders moved him into the slot, where he played in college, and the results were rough.
Washington signed Amik Robertson to handle nickel duties this offseason, which opens the door for Sainristil to move back outside. That doesn’t mean the job is his, though.
He’ll have to beat out veterans Ahkello Witherspoon and Rasul Douglas if he wants to claim the starting role. For Sainristil, camp is about proving he can win that spot and get back to the form he showed as a rookie.
In Other News...
Commanders Linked To A Receiver Who Could Help Jayden Daniels Fast
Kayshon Boutte has become one of the more interesting names to watch in New England, not because he was expected to headline the Patriots receiver room, but because he has started training camp in a way that makes him harder to ignore. In a crowded group, that matters. Boutte reportedly asked for a trade in the spring because of the depth chart in front of him, and the sense around the league is that his value is moving in the right direction.
For Washington, the appeal is obvious. A young receiver who is flashing in camp could fit a team trying to give Jayden Daniels more help quickly, especially if the price stays reasonable. The Commanders are one of the clubs mentioned as a possible landing spot, alongside the Chargers, and the broader question is whether New England decides to hold onto a player whose role is getting tougher to define or turn the momentum into a deal. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Sainristil Just Put Commanders Fans On Notice After 2025 Struggles
Mike Sainristils second season gave the Commanders plenty to sort through on defense, even with the cornerback still finishing as the team leader with four interceptions. The broader picture, though, was more complicated than the takeaway total. Washingtons defense struggled as a unit, and the season ended with enough uneven play across multiple spots that head coach Dan Quinn made a significant change, replacing defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. with Daronte Jones.
For Sainristil, the reset is personal as much as it is organizational. He acknowledged his own mistakes and made it clear he expects more from himself going into 2026, which matters for a secondary that needs steadier play from one of its most recognizable young defenders. The Commanders are counting on improvement across the board, and Sainristils response could end up being one of the cleaner indicators of whether the new defensive setup is actually working. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Defense Is Creating A Feeling Fans Havent Had In Years
Early reports out of Commanders training camp have brought a familiar kind of buzz back to Ashburn, and its coming from the side of the ball that has too often been a source of frustration. Under new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, Washington has looked sharper in the opening days of camp, with offseason additions like Odafe Oweh and Rasul Douglas adding to the sense that this group is being rebuilt with purpose.
It is still only camp, of course, and the real test wont arrive until the regular season starts and the defense has to hold up against live game plans and real stakes. But after a summer of coaching and personnel changes, the early signs are enough to make Commanders fans wonder whether this version of the defense can finally give them something they have not had in years. [Read more 🡒]