The Washington Commanders' first OTA of the offseason is in the books, and there was a nearly full crew out on the field to continue preparing for the 2026 campaign. Let's not waste any time and dive into some of the top takeaways from the afternoon.

-- Let's start off with Jayden Daniels, who was on the field in a full capacity and running with the starting offense as expected. To put it plainly, Daniels looked efficient throwing the ball and moved with fluidity during individual drills. There were several changes for Daniels to adjust to entering his third season, including a new offense that requires him to play more under center. Head coach Dan Quinn said before practice that Daniels getting comfortable would require more reps, but he also noted that the quarterback has shown strong "mental quickness" and acclimated well to taking snaps under center. Based on what he showed during practice, Daniels looked unbothered by the change and handled the new responsibilities well. He looked like his normal self, and that should get fans excited.

-- Washington's new offense has been a main talking point this offseason, and without giving too much away, it's noticeably different compared to what the Commanders were running for the past two seasons. We've already mentioned the increase in volume of plays under center, but there was also an emphasis on calling plays from the huddle and putting players in motion before the snaps. Those new wrinkles were expected given offensive coordinator David Blough's experience running Ben Johnson and Kevin O'Connell's system, and Quinn added before practice that he expects more efficiency and explosive plays from the offense. As for what Daniels thinks, the quarterback said he's a fan of seeing Blough's offensive mind at work.

"I love the offense," he said. "I love what Blough's doing. I love how he's creating and designing different things."

-- The Commanders had a nearly perfect attendance during practice, with players like Terry McLaurin and Laremy Tunsil all present on the field. Two of the main absent players were Trey Amos and Dorance Armstrong, both of whom sustained season-ending injuries in 2025. Quinn said the Commanders are managing several players who sustained injuries last season, and all of them are on slightly different tracks to returning to the field. As much as the Commanders want everyone on the field for OTAs and mandatory minicamp, their main goal remains having everyone ready to go by training camp.

-- No one should put much stock into which players line up with the starters at this point in the offseason, but it is a good indication of how the team is feeling about their depth chart at the moment. For example, Brandon Coleman got most of the starting reps at left guard in team drills, but it's widely believed that he and Chris Paul will compete for the job in camp. Unsurprisingly, Nick Allegretti lined up as the starting center, and rookie Matt Gulbin got time with the second group. The receivers were mixed and matched throughout the afternoon, but Treylon Burks was routinely seen working with the starters.

-- There was some serious speed on the field on both sides of the ball during team drills. On offense, running back Rachaad White stood out with how quickly he ran through lanes. White is known for being a strong pass-catcher, but his quickness and burst should add another dimension to Washington's running game. On defense, Sonny Styles' ability to read plays, identify who is getting the ball and close in for a tackle is on a different level. Styles was working mostly with the second group, but it feels like it's only a matter of time before he rises up the depth chart.

-- There were a few highlight plays from the offense during 11-on-11 drills, and many of them came from Daniels' arm. His first impressive throw of the day was on a sideline grab by Burks, who laid out on the play but managed to keep both feet in bounds. Then on almost the exact same play, McLaurin made a similar grab while working against Amik Robertson. He made the catch near the sideline and rolled out of bounds for a sizable gain downfield. Daniels and McLaurin's connection was missing from Washington's offense last year, and despite the time both players spent injured, it looks like that chemistry is still there.

-- It looks like Daniels and tight end Chig Okonkwo are forming a nice bond on the field. Daniels connected with Okonkwo multiple times during the practice, including two passes during two-minute drills to close out the day. Daniels likes getting his tight ends involved in the passing game and had success doing so with Zach Ertz during the first two seasons of his career. Now, he has a new, younger weapon in Okonkwo, who is ready for a larger role in the scheme.

-- Cornerback Mike Sainristil said it's been fun learning Daronte Jones' system, and everyone has focused on learning the defense from a general standpoint because of the versatility the scheme requires. This could be particularly true for Sainristil, who has experience playing in the slot and perimeter. Sainristil said they have not given him any indication about where he will play in his third season, but he isn't concerned about that. Right now, his main focus is on learning the defense as much as possible because he believes he can make plays regardless of where they put him.

-- There is a kicker competition brewing on the Commanders' roster, and undrafted free agent Drew Stevens got off to a strong start. He hit all five of his field goals, including a 53-yarder at the end of the special teams period.

-- Finally, the Commanders made several changes to their defensive personnel with players like Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson and Leo Chenal joining the unit. It can be difficult to judge exactly how good a defense is coming along in the summer because of how little contact is allowed during practice at this point, but it sounds like defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw is a fan of what he sees. Just take a look at what he said for yourself.

"We've got some motherf-----s now," he said when asked about the additions. "Excuse my language, but yeah."