ASHBURN, Va. -- After three weeks of training camp, the Washington Commanders have seen what they hoped for from their quarterback and, most of the time, from their defense. They've also seen an offensive line that has been reshuffled because of one big injury, and because of that they still need to see their run game evolve.
The Commanders play at the Lions in a preseason game at noon Saturday. It's a chance for Washington to build momentum, though it's uncertain how many starters will play or for how long. It's also an opportunity to learn more about the Commanders and the direction they might take once the season begins.
They need to improve on a 5-12 season, and so far -- after one joint practice and a preseason game -- there have been signs that provide hope, and some that warrant caution.
Washington coach Dan Quinn said he likes the "competitive makeup" of the camp practices. He also likes the details of what he has seen in different situations: fourth down, two-minute drills, red zone work.
But there are big-picture takeaways as well.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels looks sharp
All offseason, the two words heard most from those who know Daniels well were these: "Locked in." The result has been a standout camp. He impressed Miami's coaches in the joint practice, both during one-on-one drills and in full-team work, with his accuracy. One coach also pointed to his athleticism -- sometimes in subtle ways, like his ability to slide, and other times to extend plays.
Daniels did not play in the preseason opener, and Quinn isn't sure yet if his starters will play vs. Detroit. Earlier in the week he said a lot of it would be based off how much work Daniels received in practice, and he took more snaps than usual Tuesday and Wednesday.
But, regardless, he said they're seeing what they had hoped to from Daniels.
"I love that he's decisive," Quinn said. "He's got a unique ability to put the ball in the right location. I like that he's in a system that he is now at the line of scrimmage working more things. That might be the biggest difference between the last couple of years and this year is him at the line of scrimmage and working through. He's done a good job with cadence. That's not something that we've done here before. Those are a few of the things that don't show up on the stat sheet that he's doing a really good job with."
Offensive coordinator David Blough, who has been with Daniels since his arrival in 2024, said they've tracked every throw he has made over the last three years. Blough's conclusion: "He's as accurate as he's ever been. It's just a testament to asking him to do something different and him wanting to grow and evolve."
It helps that Daniels has a full complement of receivers, unlike last summer, when Terry McLaurin was holding in. Another wideout expected to help, Noah Brown, was injured most of camp. The result: an offense that lacked any rhythm. Daniels' season was then derailed by multiple injuries, limiting him to four full games.
"I felt like this last year, so I wasn't hurt around this time last year," he said. "It's a new year. I want to compare what I did my first two years."
Offensive line questions
Washington entered training camp feeling good about its offensive line, anchored by left tackle Laremy Tunsil and with four returning starters. Right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. finished strong as a rookie, and right guard Sam Cosmi would be another year removed from a torn ACL.
Because of that, and with a change in schemes, the Commanders had hoped to develop a strong run game.
But the reality has been tougher. With Tunsil out after surgery on his torn triceps (no timetable for his recovery has been given, a team source said), Washington needed to slide Brandon Coleman to left tackle -- and remove him from the competition to start at left guard. Coleman and Chris Paul both were solid in the two series they played in the preseason opener vs. Miami.
But the question will be whether the Commanders can generate a consistent run game. Against Miami in the joint practice, they were more effective throwing the ball. In the preseason opener, rookie running backs Kaytron Allen and Robert Henry Jr. combined for 160 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
But Washington managed just 10 yards in four carries by Allen in the first quarter. Sometimes it was the block; other times it was the run. Regardless, Washington needs this area to develop.
The difficult part is that Nick Allegretti, the favorite to start at center, has participated in just two full practices this summer because of a strained calf.
Allegretti said the line understands the run game concepts and the last step is improving the three-man combination blocks -- getting used to different defensive looks.
Quinn said the run game on both sides of the ball is not yet where it needs to be. But he's not surprised it's taking longer on offense.
"That's to be expected," he said. "But we're making progress. The combinations, the speed off the ball, we're not where we will be, but I would say in terms of the targeting of where we're going to, who's blocking who, we're making progress."
The defense will be aggressive
New coordinator Daronte Jones worked under the uber-aggressive Brian Flores for three seasons in Minnesota, serving as his pass game coordinator. It shows. The Commanders have been aggressive in practice, sending blitzes from all over. Their aggressiveness helped them against Miami, a team that lacks much firepower on offense, in the joint practice. But one Dolphins coach pointed specifically to the defense as a reason Washington could be good this season.
"The biggest thing with this defense is you're no longer a reactor," safety Jeremy Reaves said. "Most defenses in the NFL you're just trying to stop offenses. This defense dictates what they do so now they play on your terms, not vice versa."
But Quinn wasn't happy with their early showing in the preseason game, when mostly backups played -- though linebacker Sonny Styles, who is expected to start, did play, as did key reserve Leo Chenal.
Against Detroit, Quinn wants to see more of that attacking mentality transfer to each game. Washington did not show in the game what it has been doing in practice, though it did send some defensive backs on occasion. But in Minnesota the inside linebackers were aggressive in creeping up to the line and showing blitz -- and either rushing or dropping; that wasn't the case in the preseason game. Neither Styles nor Chenal showed that look.
However, Quinn wants to see a mindset develop.
"I just didn't love the urgency that we played with," he said. "It just wasn't as downhill and aggressive like I saw from the practice. I wanted to see more of that."
Also, in Quinn's first two seasons combined in Washington the Commanders rank 31st in takeaways with only 27. They took the ball away three times against Miami and have emphasized that in practice, with players often punching down on the ball in the runner's arms and working on this in drills.
Styles, who played 14 snaps last week, told Quinn he wants to get "downhill" better. Styles has shown his sideline-to-sideline speed and he can drop deeper than most linebackers because of his safety background and ability to close fast on passes ahead of him. But he also knows he must be a strong defender filling gaps. That's why his goal is basic.
"Just starting really fast," he said. "I've got to work on keeping better footwork, hands, all those different things. I'm going to keep getting better."