The Washington Commanders made heavy investments to upgrade their offensive line this season, and while most of the attention has been on how that can help Jayden Daniels, and rightly so, you can count Brian Robinson as one of many who love the moves.

"When coaches go out there and buck up the offensive line, it's always gonna put a smile on my face," Robinson said after Washington's July 27 practice.

The Commanders, who had a top five rushing offense but also gave up the fifth-most sacks in 2024, have six new faces on the offensive line, many of which will be depth pieces that can raise the group's floor. Names like Foster Sarell and Nate Herbig might not end up being starters but are still seasoned veterans who can provide their services in a pinch.

Laremy Tunsil, who the team acquired from the Houston Texans, was arguably the team's most important move of the offseason. As a five-time Pro Bowler, Tunsil is considered one of the best left tackles in the league because of how successful he is at protecting quarterbacks. He's also a solid run-blocker, and Robinson certainly likes having the 10-year vet creating lanes for him.

"I'm always thankful for when they go get me some Pro Bowl left tackle," Robinson said. "I'll never be against that."

The decision to bring in players like Tunsil and first-round pick Josh Conerly isn't just about protecting Daniels, although the second-year quarterback is certainly the one who benefits the most; it's also about making sure the Commanders can maintain their offensive identity, which revolved around being able to run the football. The offense outperformed outside expectations last season, as they helped Washington rank third in yards per game, fourth in rushing touchdowns and fourth in average yards per attempt.

Although it's difficult to judge the run game without pads, which the players will wear for the first time on July 28, head coach Dan Quinn said the running back group is "tough" and that "they're playing well."

"It's a really strong group and there's some excellent leaders in that group," Quinn added.

Robinson, who had nearly 800 rushing yards last season and led the team in rushing touchdowns, is at the forefront of that group. After dealing with injuries in 2024, Robinson is healthy again and "can't really complain about anything." He looks ready for his fourth campaign as well, as he had an explosive play on Sunday and outran Mike Sainristil in the secondary.

Robinson is looking forward to what he can accomplish in 2025, but he also knows he can't have any success without the offensive line.

"I see them working," Robinson said of the group. "They, collectively, as a group, are coming together and getting to know each other better with some new guys and new faces in the room ... I feel like they've been doing a good job of just paying attention to the details."

Here are some more observations from Sunday's practice:

-- The team announced that wideout Terry McLaurin reported for training camp over the weekend and has been placed on the Active/Physically Unable To Perform list with an ankle issue. McLaurin and the team have been working on a contract extension, and while he is in the building, no new deal has been announced yet. Quinn said the team is happy to have McLaurin back preparing for the upcoming season.

"I'm really pumped that he's here, man. He's such an awesome competitor. We had a chance to spend some time together yesterday; it was great to see him."

-- It was an up-and-down day for both sides of the ball, but the offense's best moments came near the end of practice during two-minute drills. With about six seconds left on the clock, Daniels heaved a pass to Jaylin Lane in the corner of the end zone. The rookie was double covered on the play, but that didn't stop him from making the catch and tapping both feet in bounds. The entire offense rushed onto the field in front of a cheering crowd to celebrate the play.

-- Lane's play was the catch of training camp so far, but a close second came from Michael Strachan minutes later. With Sam Hartman now in at quarterback, the offense had one final shot to get into the end zone as time expired. Hartman launched a ball to Strachan, leaped above Car'Lin Vigers and made the touchdown catch. Daniels was the first offensive player to celebrate, and he was quickly joined by the rest of the unit.

-- Mike Sainristil keeps making plays. Daniels aired out a deep shot intended for Lane near the beginning of practice, but the pass was tipped and fell into Sainristil's hands.

-- Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw loves playing alongside Von Miller. Here's what he had to say about playing with the Pro Bowler:

"Just being next to a great, it elevates you. I can't speak for everybody else, but I know when I'm out there next to him, it just makes me go to a different level. Just being able to learn some things from him and see how he sees the game. You understand why he's got as many sacks as he does. He's just a different dude, dynamic."