Training camp is almost here for the Washington Commanders, and a few players are walking into it with a real chance to change the conversation around them.
Dan Quinn has pushed the tempo all offseason after a torrid 2025 campaign, and the message has been clear: the standard has to rise. The roster is younger, the competition is tighter, and there’s still plenty that has to click before this group can look the way the Commanders want it to.
But that also means camp is loaded with opportunity. A strong few weeks can reshape roles, restore confidence, and give this team a better chance to come together as a unit.
With that in mind, here are seven Commanders players who have a platform to transform their fortunes at training camp.
Quan Martin is the easiest place to start.
Before the 2025 season, there was plenty of buzz around Martin after his strong postseason stretch. In Year 3, the expectation was that he might take another step and start looking like a franchise cornerstone.
Instead, things went sideways. He was one of the biggest disappointments on a defense that struggled across the board, with poor positioning, too many missed tackles, and inconsistent play all contributing to a steady drop in snaps.
By the end, Dan Quinn had pulled him out of the firing line altogether.
Washington could have chosen a different path this offseason, especially with a new defensive coordinator coming in. Instead, the Commanders kept Martin in the mix, trusting that Daronte Jones could get more out of the 2023 second-round pick and that the scheme would help unlock him.
There were at least some encouraging signs during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, where Washington tried Martin more often in the nickel. That’s the spot where he stood out as a rookie, and it may still be his best fit. The full picture won’t be clear until camp unfolds, but for now, Martin still has a real shot to turn things around.
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Commanders Camp Suddenly Looks Like A Fight For Ahkello Witherspoon
Ahkello Witherspoon arrived in Washington on a one-year deal with a clear chance to carve out a role, but the cornerback picture has tightened quickly as camp approaches. The Commanders have enough moving parts in the secondary that every rep matters, and Witherspoon now finds himself in a fight not just to climb the depth chart, but to make the 53-man roster at all.
The uncertainty has only grown with the way the coaching staff may want to structure the defense, and Witherspoons early offseason work did not create much momentum. ESPNs John Keim even left him off a projected roster, which is rarely a comforting sign for a veteran trying to stick. For a player who needed a clean path into camp, the path now looks crowded and anything but settled. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Just Got A Troubling Sign In Their Receiver Search
Washingtons search for help at wide receiver has lingered deep into the summer, and the early signs now point toward the Commanders getting to training camp without adding a veteran to the room. Brandon Aiyuk, Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel and Tyreek Hill have all been floated as possible fits at various points, but the market has not moved in Washingtons favor and the teams interest in any of those names has remained unclear.
Hill is the latest reminder of how complicated that search can be. Even with his star power keeping him in the conversation, his recent knee injury has made a deal look far less realistic, leaving the Commanders still waiting for a receiver solution and still without a clear answer before Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Rookie Joshua Josephs Is Building Buzz Fans Can't Ignore
Joshua Josephs has already given the Commanders something to think about after being taken in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Early offseason workouts have shown why Washington was intrigued in the first place: he brings edge-rushing juice, but he also looks comfortable enough to handle coverage responsibilities, a trait that can change how a defense lines up and disguises pressure.
For a rookie trying to carve out a place in a crowded front, that kind of versatility matters. Josephs still has a long summer ahead before anyone can say how much hell play, but training camp, joint practices and the preseason will tell the real story about whether he can turn the buzz into a steady role in Washingtons edge rotation. [Read more 🡒]