The Washington Commanders have wrapped up their offseason program with the conclusion of minicamp. Here are some observations from Thursday.
-- The players have a little over a month to get ready for training camp, when the true evaluations for how to shape the roster will begin.
For rookies, this can be a particularly critical time. They'll be left to themselves for the first time in months, and neither they nor the coaches want them to lose any of the progress they made in May and June
So, head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters met with each of them individually to make sure they were prepared to stay on track.
"We had a one-on-one meeting over the last week," Quinn said. "Where are they? How's it been? And going through that process, what does the next 40 days look like?"
Quinn and Peters' conversations with the rookies covered several issues, including how things were going for them off the field. Once that was settled, they moved into where each rookie was going to train and what they wanted to improve upon before camp. What impressed Quinn the most was that several players already had solid plans for this portion of the year.
"If you're already coming in with ideas and thoughts about what you want to get done, you're already moving forward," Quinn said.
-- It was a light day for the players, who participated in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, but there were some who still managed to stand out. Chris Moore had three catches on the day, one of which was brought in for a touchdown. Moore is one of the older players in the Commanders' receiver room and faces a difficult task in earning a roster spot. Still, he consistently produced and had some highlight plays during minicamp, so perhaps he can impress the coaches during camp.
-- Neither Jayden Daniels nor Marcus Mariota participated in the 11-on-11 periods, leaving Sam Hartman and Josh Johnson to lead the offense during the period. Hartman had his moments, like when he tossed a touchdown to Luke McCaffrey, but he also threw an interception to Car'Lin Vigers near the goal line.
-- Noah Brown left practice Wednesday with an undisclosed injury and did not return for the rest of the day. He also didn't participate in Thursday's practice, and when asked about his status, Quinn didn't have an update other than to say Brown was supposed to get an MRI.
-- Quinn said running back Chris Rodriguez has "really applied himself" to the suggestions he and the rest of Washington's staff given him this offseason. Rodriguez was elevated to the active roster at various points in 2024 and had strong moments but could not hold onto an active roster spot. Quinn wants Rodriguez to be "at his absolute best" so he can compete in what Quinn called a "crowded" running back room. Being in the best shape possible might help him stand out and earn a consistent spot in the rotation.
-- Left tackle Laremy Tunsil has not spent much time with the rest of Washington's offensive line, but it's enough to know that his new teammates are "dawgs."
"You know who I'm really impressed with, though? JC [rookie Josh Conerly Jr.]. JC is gonna be a dawg, and I'm not just saying that just to blow smoke up his a**, but JC's gonna be a dawg, and I can't wait to see it."
-- Prior to the players breaking for the end of practice, linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. and personnel analyst Wes Welker gave them some advice for how to approach the dead period. Norton told the players to always be prepared for their moment, because they never know when it's going to happen. Welker talked about "winning time moments," saying they were why it is so important to train at this time of year. He told them to always be ready for those moments because they can make a significant difference in games.
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