The Washington Commanders will be on the field May 28 for Phase 3 of their offseason workout program. Here are three things to watch throughout the day.
Jayden Daniels
Although the Commanders have spent their offseason improving other position groups, Daniels remains their biggest attraction.
Not that he's shown hesitance in big moments, but the spotlight is going to be on Daniels more than ever in his second season after a record-setting rookie campaign. He's going to face tougher defenses with more talented quarterbacks on the other sideline. The league is also expecting him to produce, as the Commanders earned eight standalone games in 2025 thanks largely to his rising popularity among the NFL's fanbase.
The Commanders have tried to prepare him for the upcoming year by giving him more protection and weapons, most notably left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. But Daniels has also worked on getting himself prepared. Based on recent practice photos, Daniels has put on some muscle, particularly in his arms. Now that media members are allowed to attend, we'll also see how his accuracy, footwork and other mechanics have progressed in recent months.
Plus, seeing Daniels on the field in general is a delight.
The offensive line's chemistry
We will not see any serious contact from the offensive line at this point in the year. That has to wait until training camp, so we will not get a glimpse of their true potential until August. However, that doesn't mean the group lacks intrigue.
The Commanders' offensive line will be full of moving parts for the second straight season. It seems like left tackle and center have their answer, but everything else is wide open, especially with Sam Cosmi still recovering from the ACL injury he suffered in the playoffs. Brandon Coleman is getting moved over to right tackle but could also play either of the guard positions, meaning Nick Allegretti and Andrew Wylie, both starters in 2024, will need to compete and prove they can still earn their previous roles.
There's also first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr., who general manager Adam Peters said could play guard or tackle. Although the team is excited about what he could bring to the offense, it is unknown at this point when he will be ready to contribute. The good news is that with Allegretti, Coleman and Wylie on the roster and potentially ahead of him on the depth chart, there's no need to rush him into either spot.
Regardless of which players emerge as the starters, it will be important for the offensive line to start developing their chemistry together so they can mix and match their personnel during the season if necessary.
New personnel in the secondary
The Commanders' secondary went through significant changes this offseason to help improve what was one of the team's most glaring weak spots. Benjamin St-Juste and Jeremy Chinn have been replaced by Will Harris, Jonathan Jones and draft pick Trey Amos, and while it seems like the group is better in some areas compared to last year, we won't see just how much better they are for some time.
The work towards progress starts during the offseason, as it will be the first time the new group will be together. Like the offensive line, they will need to build chemistry and learn how to communicate -- an important feature of the Commanders' defense -- and play off each other's strengths. They also need to work out where players will line up; Amos' presence could mean that Mike Sainristil can return to the slot. Sainristil played on the outside as a rookie, mostly out of necessity, but he was drafted to make plays at nickel.
With so many new pieces, fans can expect the Commanders to try several combinations from now until Week 1 and beyond. As good as it is to have options, it is better to find out which players work the best with one another in certain situations.
