It's uncertain at this point where Brandon Coleman is going to play in 2025. We know he's not going to be the Washington Commanders' left tackle, but he could play at either guard spots or at right tackle.
As long as he's able to compete, Coleman isn't worried about where the coaches will decide to put him.
"I don't really care where I play," Coleman said. "Wherever they keep me is where I'll work into."
For now, Coleman is working at left guard -- a position he played a little in college at TCU. He had seven starts at the position as a sophomore before moving to left tackle as a junior. Although he was primarily a tackle as a senior, he also started four games at left guard.
Head coach Dan Quinn called Coleman a "rare" talent, because the second-year offensive lineman has the size to play inside and quickness to play as a tackle. For a team like the Commanders, who are trying to figure out a new lineup with Laremy Tunsil and Josh Conerly Jr. joining the team as well as Sam Cosmi set to miss a portion of the season with an ACL injury, that position flexibility can be valuable.
"Because he had good versatility coming out of TCU...he was ready to begin that process early," Quinn said of Coleman's transition to guard. "It started prior to him even getting to the offseason program in his training, working on different sets to do that."
If Coleman stays at guard, his athleticism and physical traits should help him there as well. He has longer arms, which can allow him to quickly engage with defensive tackles. Modern interior players also have athletic traits, so he can match that quickness with his own.
It can be difficult this time of year for offensive linemen to show off any improvements they have made because of the limits on contact, but Quinn said Coleman is focusing hard on the techniques he'll need to make the switch.
"He's done an excellent job of just the timing and the footwork and the sets in that he can," Quinn said.
Coleman might still end up at tackle, whether it's because of injury or simply beating out a player in training camp. He prefers to let that situation play out, though, and show that he can play at any spot.
"I always kept an open mind to where I was gonna be at," Coleman said. "I put my full trust in them [the coaches]. I didn't have any feelings towards it. If that's the plan they have for me, then I fully trust them with that."
Here are some more observations from Tuesday's minicamp practice.
- Jayden Daniels continues to look impressive and accurate during seven-on-seven and team drills. He completed three of his first four passes of the day, starting with a target to Deebo Samuel. His connection with Zach Ertz doesn't appear to have lost a step, either, as he found the veteran tight end often during drills.
- Speaking of Samuel, the wideout had an exceptional day with four completions from passes by Daniels. He made a nice sideline grab during seven-on-seven drills that required him to extend his catch radius before getting two feet in bounds. Later in the day, he made a leaping touchdown grab during two-minute drills.
- Luke McCaffrey was another receiver who had a strong practice. He was one of Daniels' first targets on the day, as he found himself wide open in the middle of the field. He also caught a pass from Marcus Mariota, but his best play came during one of the final drills. He caught a pass from Daniels around the 10-yard line and beat the secondary in the corner of the end zone.
- A few of the Commanders' defensive backs stood out for making tough pass breakups. Percy Butler had one against Ertz, who tried to hold onto the ball as he fell out of bounds but couldn't maintain possession thanks to Butler ripping it away. Near the end of the practice, Mike Sainristil batted a pass away from Samuel, who could have scored a touchdown during two-minute drills. The practice ended with a pair of players, Car'lin Vigers and Mike Strachen, battling it out near the sideline. Vigers won that round, as he knocked a pass out of Strachen's grasp.
- Chris Moore had the catch of the day early in practice. Mariota heaved a shot downfield to Moore with Vigers in coverage, and Moore made the over-the-shoulder grab for a significant gain.
- Undrafted rookie Tyree Jackson could be a player to watch during training camp. He made a catch in between three defenders during practice, but what stood out the most was his 6-foot-7, 249-pound frame. He's likely a long-term project and could even be a practice squad candidate if he doesn't make the initial roster, but he does have intriguing potential.
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt looks explosive, and he showed that off during a play in 11-on-11 drills. He beat the defense to the outside and sprinted up the sideline for what would likely have been a touchdown in a game scenario. Croskey-Merritt has a long way to go before earning a spot on the roster, but like Jackson, he has traits that could help elevate the offense if he can make a jump in camp.
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