Jayden Daniels knew where he wanted to go on the final play of his series during the first 11-on-11 drill of the Washington Commanders' Monday training camp practice.

The goal of the drill was to get in the end zone, so why not trust the 6-foot, 215-pound receiver the team traded for back in March? Deebo Samuel made it an easy decision for Daniels; he had a step on two defenders and rewarded that trust by making the catch in the back corner of the end zone moments before stepping out of bounds.

It was the latest positive play in what has been a strong start to camp for Samuel, whose first catch last Wednesday was an over-the-shoulder touchdown grab. It's a big year for Samuel, who is now with the Commanders after they sent a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers to acquire him. He wants to do whatever he can to help his new team win, but he's also looking to prove that he can still be a game changer.

"My goal every day is to come out here and just get better, take all the coaching and just own my job," Samuel said after practice.

The Commanders aren't revealing much about what exactly Samuel's job will be in their offense, but it's reasonable to assume they intend to use his versatility to create mismatches all over the field. Historically, that's what he has done better than almost anyone in his career, as he has nearly 6,000 scrimmage yards and 42 total touchdowns. He's also excelled at getting yards after the catch, and considering that's a strength for quarterback Jayden Daniels, it seems like an ideal match.

So far, Samuel has impressed his coaches in whatever he's been asked to do, and it shouldn't be a surprise that the staff is having fun using him in so many different roles.

Quinn said that Samuel "challenges you in a good way," not just because of the different questions he asks in meetings but also the different ways he can be used. Quinn is familiar with how Samuel can hurt defenses with deep crossing routes, but he can just as potent in the backfield, slot or out wide. Without giving much away about the specifics on his usage, Samuel has spent time at all four areas with the Commanders dating back to OTAs.

Samuel wants to prove "I still got a lot in the tank."

"I just go out here and get better every day," he said. "Whatever position they put me at to go out here and make plays, I'm going to do the best of my ability."

If Samuel is closer to what he was earlier in his career, when he was a First Team All-Pro for recording 14 touchdowns and 1,770 total yards, then the Commanders could have a weapon with the ability to provide more explosive plays. While they controlled the ball better than almost any other team in the league, there were moments when it felt more laborious for them to get in the end zone.

Samuel believes he can still provide that, and while it's still early, he's a fan of how Washington is determined to get the most out of him.

"I think [offensive coordinator] Kliff [Kingsbury] is going to do a good job of putting me in position to make plays and just go out there and get it done."

Here are some more observations from Monday's practice:

-- We're not even a week into camp, but Daniels looked sharp on Monday's practice. It might have been his best practice of camp so far, as he was throwing precise, accurate passes to his weapons. One of the best came during a red zone period, as he connected with Austin Ekeler near the goal line. Ekeler made the catch and stretched the ball over the end zone before jogging out of bounds.

-- The Commanders started the day with kickoff drills, and just as they did last year, they had several players catch kicks to get some reps as returners. One of the combinations featured Ekeler and Samuel lined up together, which could be dangerous for opposing special teams units.

-- Today was the Commanders' first day in pads, and head coach Dan Quinn said it was an important part of the process for players who operate close to the line of scrimmage. For the running backs, it gives them a chance to fight through contact. The defensive and offensive lines can be more physical -- an important aspect of both positions -- and utilize their techniques more than they can in just helmets and jerseys.

-- We had our first bigger hit of camp during team drills, as Jacory Croskey-Merritt collided with Tyler Owens in the middle of the field. Both players had to pull up a bit, as they were told not to go to the ground, but it would have been quite the collision had the two players been going full speed.

-- Bobby Wagner got in on the action as well. In a team session that was primarily focused on run plays, Wsgner printed through an open run lane to stuff Brian Robinson for no gain.

-- With Laremy Tunsil taking a veteran's day off, Josh Conerly got starting reps at right tackle while Andrew Wylie lined up on the left. Conerly is still raw in some areas, but he has shown progress in pass protection. He held his own on blitzes from both Frankie Luvu and Wagner thanks to his quick feet.