1. Unity among the coaching staff
First-year head coach Dan Quinn has assembled a staff with little experience working together, which may seem wise in contrast to Ron Rivera’s strategy, but it could also lead to distrust and infighting.
2. Jayden Daniels’ Growth
3. First-team quarterback practice
Quinn is expected to say at the start of camp that the quarterback spot remains a contest between rookie Daniels, the No. 2 overall draft pick, and veteran free agent signing Marcus Mariota.
If Daniels practices every first-team session, as he did in minicamp, there won’t be any real competition. If he splits the work, it raises questions about how Daniels will prepare to start Week 1, as he is expected to do.
4. Adam Peters’ first draft class
A new general manager has begun the rebuild. 9th draft pick In April, most attention will be focused on Daniels and…
5. Jonny Newton’s left foot
The Commanders took defensive tackle Alan Bush in the second round. Non-football injury list Newton was set to return at any time during camp last week, but things got off to an inauspicious start as he has yet to take the field with his new team.
The Commanders appear to have overlooked Newton’s left foot injury during his pre-draft evaluation, raising questions about how the medical staff will handle other injuries, especially with improving player health being a priority for the new management.
The camp will be a test for the department led by senior director of player health and performance Tim McGrath, who was hired in March.
7. Kliff Kingsbury’s consistency
Kingsbury hasn’t been an offensive coordinator since helping Johnny Manisel win the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M in 2012. Could focusing solely on offense, rather than juggling the demands of a head coach, end a worrying trend of teams faltering down the stretch?
8. Joe Whitt Jr.’s offensive mindset
Will a first-time defensive coordinator be as aggressive in calling plays as he says he will? His press conference?
Last season, Washington held 21 long, rigorous practices during camp. This year, there will be fewer practices (17) and the level of intensity is yet to be determined. The Commanders will likely emphasize quality over quantity, especially if the team makes gains during camp.
Joint practices have become more popular since the NFL changed its preseason games from four to three in 2021. The sessions allow coaches to conduct game-like testing in a controlled environment, with a lower risk of injury than in a game because there are no tackles.
Washington will host two joint sessions this year, one in Florham Park, New Jersey, with the Jets and one in Miami Gardens, Florida, with the Dolphins.
Veterans Cornelius Lucas and Trent Scott are expected to compete with third-round pick Brandon Coleman for the job.
12. What is not happening?
Over the past three seasons, Washington quarterbacks have posted the worst turnover-worthy play rate (TWP) in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
One of Daniels’ strengths in college was protecting the ball: his 1.7% TWP was the best among Power Five quarterbacks with at least 600 dropbacks since PFF began tracking the stat in 2014.
Keep an eye on Daniels throughout camp to see if he can continue to avoid turnovers and, if they increase, ask him why.
The managers have yet to decide on a replacement for Brandon McManus. Released The lone kicker who joined the team in June, Ramiz Ahmed, has had a mixed spring and could face some competition in camp.
Regardless of the kicker, the challenge for special teams coordinator Larry Izzo will be figuring out how to run the offense. The League’s radically different new rules.
15. Rivera’s suitability (or lack thereof)
That’s especially true for players whose roles are unclear, such as linebacker Jamin Davis (who tried out at edge rusher during the offseason program), wide receiver Diami Brown, safety Darrick Forrest and cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes and Benjamin Saint-Juste.
16. Undrafted free agents
Under Rivera, the Commanders rarely got meaningful contributions from undrafted rookies. Early in his tenure with the Atlanta Falcons, Quinn found key roles for safety Robenson Telesie and cornerback Brian Poole, who started nine games in 2016.
Washington could take chances on undrafted free agents this year, including cornerback Chigozy Anoussiem and tight end Colson Yankov.
The Commanders’ new staff has placed such an emphasis on ball skills on defense that the team has purchased new JUGS machines — Washington now has four — that coaches hope will help a defense that has allowed a league-low 17 interceptions over the past two seasons.
18. We’re here to have fun, not for long.
Coach Peters’ 2024 bridge roster includes a number of short-term “prove it” contracts for players he believes a strong season will lead to bigger paydays, most notably…
The versatile defensive back, who will be a key piece for Whitt, said he turned down more pay to come to Washington because he wanted to play in the scheme.
The Commanders were bad at applying pressure last year, and they didn’t acquire a big-name pass rusher, instead banking on the return of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.
we We have already explained thisDon’t expect the disgruntled San Francisco wide receiver to go to Washington.
Right guard, PFF Darlingis entering his contract year.
Washington, with Forbes, Saint-Just and Michael Davis, has arguably one of the weakest perimeter units in the league, which will present a challenge for new position coach Tommy Donatell.
That style, with a shotgun quarterback and a running back behind him, could be a big part of the Commanders’ offense this season. Daniels used the style in college and Kingsbury used it with the Arizona Cardinals. On the rise across the leagueThis formation forces the defense to consider the quarterback as a runner, allowing for “hard” play-action fakes to be made, unlike the “soft” fakes from the shotgun with the running back to the side.
Harris’ hiring could lead to Washington using data more prominently in fourth-down offense and other areas. The analytics department now has four staff members and will likely continue to grow.
26. Local Political Leaders
As the Commanders’ stadium battle continues, local elected officials, including Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), are expected to visit training camp. Keep in mind, a bill giving the District more power over the RFK Stadium site needs to be passed by the end of the year for D.C. to be a viable option. Blocked Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) has been filing a lawsuit for months seeking to force the team to honor the Native American families who helped design the team’s old logo.
27. Other matters off the field
The business staff is likely to continue to be replaced, with former team president Jason Wright recently taking over as team president. Senior Advisory Role.
Minority investor Mark Ain recently appeared on “The Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast and said that rebranding is not a priority at the moment.
Washington has had construction workers at its headquarters during the offseason in an effort to improve working conditions that players have criticized. NFLPA Annual Report Card.
On the report card, the Commanders received an F-minus for treating families. Improving that score is the responsibility of the team support and advancement department, now led by senior director Dylan Thompson, who the Commanders poached from Houston, where his star players had raved about him.
Harris places a strong emphasis on peripheral departments like support, health and analytics because he believes they give him an advantage in a highly competitive league with a salary cap.
Fans flocked to Ashburn training camp last year to celebrate Daniel Snyder’s departure, drawing as many as 10,000 people on one day. It’s unclear whether such a large turnout will be possible, despite the restructuring and optimism.
