From Brian Robinson to Christian Holmes to Jahan Dotson, Commanders' rookies have risen to the occasion when called upon this season. Head coach Ron Rivera has been happy to see that trend and believes there are a couple different reasons for it.   

"I think big part has to do with their learning. Kudos to our scouting department," Rivera said. "The last few years the guys that we've brought in, smart bright football players, guys that get it and understand it. And guys that will get on the field a lot sooner and so far we've been able to do that so kudos to them."  

Identifying smart, bright football players is a process that involves a lot of intentional time and thoughtfulness as scouts will look to talk to coaches, counselors and a host of others in a players life to, as Rivera puts it, "try and get as much information about how quickly they learn."  

Also important in Rivera's perspective is "coaches' willingness to play young guys." The more exposure to live game play scenarios they get, the better they will be able to learn and adjust than if they were watching a moment unfold on the sideline or the film room.   

He sees this group of rookies as perhaps representative of the mindset the Commanders want to take in approaching every draft. They have already made the team better in a number of ways right off the bat and have exciting potential still to be unlocked.  

"We've got to be really good, be really diligent with making sure we get guys that do understand, learn quickly, don't have to get a lot of reps, have some position flex that we can move them around and put 'em in different positions," Rivera said. "That helps a lot. It really does."

Here's a morning roundup of what the local and national media have to say about the Washington Commanders on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. All reports, rumors and conjecture are a reflection of the media conversation and are not endorsed or confirmed by the Washington Commanders.

The reports and deals expressed in this article have not been confirmed by Washington, nor do they reflect any insider information from anyone in the front office.

• NBC Sports Washington's Ethan Cadeaux writes about Commanders' thoughts on the turf vs. grass debate.
• The Washington Times' Matthew Paras looks at how Washington's shift on offense is affecting Jahan Dotson.
• The Richmond-Times Dispatch's Michael Phillips writes about Washington's playoff push.
• NBC Sports Washington's Peter Hailey reports on the latest news surrounding Chase Young.
• NBC Sports Washington's Peter Hailey also writes about Daniel Jones' past performances against the Commanders.
• NBC Sports Washington's Bijan Todd looks at how Robinson and Gibson have become the one-two punch Rivera envisioned.
• The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala writes about how the Commanders' turnaround has echoes of Ron Rivera's past.
• The Washington Times' Jacob Calvin Meyer writes about five Commanders being in the Top 10 at their position in Pro Bowl voting.
• The Athletic's David Aldridge looks at how the Commanders keep winning.
• The Washington Post's Sam Fortier writes about the Commanders' red zone offense.
• The Washington Post's Sam Fortier also writes about Brian Robinson racking up big yards and wearing a big hat.
• The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala reports on the Commanders surviving against the Falcons.
• The Washington Post's Barry Svrluga gives his perspective on the Commanders' winning formula.
• The Washington Post's Scott Allen gives four takeaways from Washington's win over the Falcons.

Check Out What's On Commanders.com:

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• Commanders vs. Giants preview | A pivotal battle against the 'G-Men'
• From the booth | A few asks
• Week 13 power rankings | Commanders continue to collect national attention
• 'A heck of a tandem': Jon Allen, Daron Payne are a duo to be reckoned with
• NFC playoff picture | Commanders get into the Wild Card discussion
• Numbers to know from Washington's Week 12 win over Atlanta
• Commanders-Falcons Stats & Snaps
• Instant Analysis | Washington survives again with game-saving INT, improves to 7-5
• 5 takeaways from Washington's third consecutive win
• Game Balls | 3 standouts in the Commanders' win over the Falcons