The sun was out during the Washington Commanders Week 2 practice of OTAs, and there was plenty of action to break down as the players continue their preparations for the 2026 season. Let's dive into some of the highlights from the day.

-- Washington's defense was flying around fitting runs well during the first 11-on-11 period of the day, but what stood out the most was how much communication happened before the snap. Calls were relayed effectively by every defensive player on the field, and players were making checks to counter the offense. That might be a basic, and even expected requirement for playing solid defense in the NFL, but it was a positive sign to see the unit developing good habits during the offseason while learning a new system.

-- Head coach Dan Quinn promised before practice that reporters would see a lot of speed on the field, and that was particularly true on defense. Odafe Oweh had a nice rep during play-action drills to get past Andrew Wylie and would have registered a sack on Jayden Daniels in a live scenario. Instead, Daniels dumped off the ball to Jerome Ford, who continues to run hard and look impressive as a pass-catcher. One play later, Daniels completed a short pass to Terry McLaurin, but he likely wouldn't have gotten far in a game because Nick Cross quickly closed the gap.

-- There have been a lot of questions about the Commanders' receiving room, but offensive coordinator David Blough said before practice that the team feels confident in what they have at the position. Former third-round pick Luke McCaffrey is one of the players they are hoping will develop this summer, and he had a strong day with three catches from Daniels. One of them was a contested grab while working against Jeremy Reaves, who tried to make a play for the ball but had it snatched away by McCaffrey, who kept both feet in bounds.

-- Veteran Treylon Burks is another receiver who continues to stand out. Burks made a pair of impressive grabs during last week's OTA practice, and the former first-round pick was at it again with a tough sideline catch where he managed to get his knee in bounds. Burks has an ideal NFL frame at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. If the receiving room does end up staying the same for the regular season, it would be ideal if he managed to emerge as a No. 2 option for the offense. Burks showed some flashes in a limited role last season, so the hope is that a full offseason in the building will help make those highlight plays become more common.

-- We might have had our first interception (at least during the practices that we have seen) on Tuesday, as Percy Butler seemed to get underneath a pass from Marcus Mariota. The quarterback waved his hands to signify an incompletion, but that didn't stop the defense from celebrating the play.

-- The Commanders ran a two-minute drill to close out the day, and aside from an incompletion intended for Rachaad White, Daniels was efficient and found his targets. He completed three consecutive passes to Chig Okonkwo and McLaurin, which got the special teams unit in range for a 58-yard field goal.

-- Speaking of kickers, the battle between Jake Moody and Drew Stevens continued on Tuesday. Both players had misses before field goal drills, although Moody made the longest kick at 54 yards. Moody was 5-of-6 during field goal drills, while Stevens was 4-of-6.

-- McLaurin said after practice that it's good to be back on the field, and he wants to do whatever he can to root for and help his teammates. A good example of that came when the third team was on the field for 11-on-11 drills. Undrafted free agent Jaden Bradley made a contested catch over Antonio Hamilton Sr., and McLaurin was the loudest person on the field cheering for him. "I told you the ball would find you!" McLaurin said after Bradley made the sideline grab.

-- The expectations are high for Jacory Croskey-Merritt after he led the Commanders' backfield with 805 rushing yards, and the Commanders are holding to a high standard. Quinn explained to the media what he and the coaching staff are looking for from the running back in his second season.

"In the passing game, one of the steps would be for Bill in that space. Also working on the kick return side of things, so those would be a few that come to mind. The natural running instincts, whether it's running from the gun or under center, that kind of handles itself, but the return game and the passing game are two things we want to see elevated over the summer and even into camp as well."

-- Let's end things with one more update about the running backs. Sixth-round pick Kaytron Allen ran hard and showed impressive vision during run drills at the beginning of practice. It's important to remember that contact is not allowed during this portion of the summer, so there are going to be several plays that look like they're explosive gains but would be stopped for a minimal gain in a game. However, Allen managed to weave through defenders and showed good footwork during plays -- two of his traits that were praised during the draft process.