After months of waiting and offseason moves, training camp has finally arrived. Football is back.
The Washington Commanders' veterans have begun reporting to the team facility to kick off the third training camp with Dan Quinn as the head coach. Players like Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin and Daron Payne are all returning to Ashburn, Virginia, ready to work after an offseason of rest and eager to bounce back from the 2025 campaign.
Most eyes will be on Daniels, who returned to the field in June after missing the final four games of the previous year with an elbow injury, but there are several storylines for fans to follow over the next month as players compete for roster spots and return to the postseason for the second time in three seasons. The Commanders have two new coordinators, neither of whom have called plays at the professional level prior to this season; the defense has been almost completely overhauled from a personnel standpoint with new players like Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson being brought in to fix the team's pass rush; and new pieces on offense are looking for opportunities to take the next steps in their development.
After a productive OTA and minicamp period, the Commanders are excited to be back on the field.
"I was really trying to pressure test some people to see what that would look like and who would be some people that may jump out," Quinn said at the end of minicamp. "And the team's worked incredibly hard, strength and conditioning wise. They've made significant gains."
Over the next four weeks, the Commanders will try to answer some key questions that remain on their roster. On the offensive line, players like Chris Paul and Brandon Coleman will compete to be the starting left guard. In many ways, this will be a repeat from last year's camp, as Coleman ended August with the starting job but was overtaken by Paul in the regular season. It's a similar situation at the center position, which remains open after the team released Tyler Biadasz. Nick Allegretti is currently slated to be the incumbent starter, but others on the roster like Julian Good-Jones and Matt Gulbin will get a chance to take the job for themselves.
Perhaps the biggest battle will be for the uNo. 2 receiver spot, which has multiple players vying for the job. Like every other position on the roster, the Commanders are content with letting things play out to see who steps up. Players like Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and rookie Antonio Williams are among the throng of options at wideout who could have a shot at winning the job. There could also be some unconventional solutions, such as tight end Chig Okonkwo taking the role with his ability to get yards after the catch. Regardless of who gets the job, the Commanders must come out of camp with a clear plan on how to pick up yards in the passing game aside from targeting No. 1 option McLaurin.
And as the team prepares for the 2026 season, you can witness all the action yourself. The team will hold five open practices for fans on Aug. 1, Aug. 7, Aug. 8, Aug. 18, and Aug. 19, along with six open practices exclusively for Season Ticket Members on Aug. 3, Aug. 4, Aug. 5, Aug. 10, Aug. 11, and Aug. 12. All practices will begin at 8:30 a.m. EST and are subject to change. The 2026 Training Camp will be presented by BigBear.ai and supported by cornerstone partners Bank of America, Clark Construction and Pepsi.
The team will host a variety of activations throughout Training Camp, including:
- Back Together Weekend: The team will kick off Training Camp by joining the NFL's annual "Back Together Weekend" celebration on Saturday, August 1. The team will host various family-friendly activations onsite, including a Commanders Kids Zone, Washington Legends meet and greets, appearances by Major Tuddy and Command Force, giveaways, and much more!
- Military Appreciation Day presented by USAA: Washington Salute, the Official Military Appreciation Club of the Washington Commanders, will invite hundreds of local service members, veterans, and their families to Ashburn for Training Camp on Friday, August 7. Following practice, select attendees will also participate in the USAA's annual Salute to Service Boot Camp -- a Combine-style skills competition designed to celebrate fitness and teamwork. Military Appreciation Day is presented by USAA, Official Salute to Service Partner of the Washington Commanders.
- Kids Day presented by Children's National: On Saturday, August 8, the Washington Commanders will host a Kids Day presented by Children's National. The day will feature children's activities, including Play60 activations, face painting, and balloon artists.
- Additionally, throughout camp, the team looks forward to hosting local youth football and community groups.
The Washington Commanders COMMAND CENTER Training Camp Live coverage, presented by BigBear.ai, will give fans a front-row seat to the action from camp in Ashburn. The weekly show features live look-ins and analysis of your favorite players in action on the field from your favorite Washington Legends. It's live inside access you won't find anywhere else!
To stay up to date on all training camp events and to review the FAQS, please visit Commanders.com/TrainingCamp.
