As the Commanders' training camp progresses, the intensity only heightens, especially with players fine-tuning their skills and emphasizing red-zone work. Tuesday's practice session provided a wealth of insights and showcased several standout performances that fans in attendance were thrilled to witness.
On this sixth day of the camp, which marked the third session open to fans and the second practice in full pads, Jayden Daniels continued to split first-team reps with Marcus Mariota. The competition between the two quarterbacks has been a focal point, with Daniels showcasing his ability to connect on key plays. During the 11-on-11 drills, Daniels fired a deep ball up the right sideline to Olamide Zaccheaus, demonstrating his precision and arm strength.
Daniels also connected effectively with Jahan Dotson along the sideline and made a solid throw to Terry McLaurin on the opposite sideline. The highlight of his day came during the final team session when he found Dotson and followed it up with a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz. However, not everything went smoothly for Daniels, as he experienced a bungled handoff with Jeremy McNichols and a series of missed throws in a row.
Brandon Coleman, who played with both the first and second teams at left and right tackle, faced off against veterans like Dorance Armstrong Jr., Dante Fowler Jr., and Clelin Ferrell, showcasing his versatility and resilience. Coleman candidly reflected on his performance, stating, "There's always like three points in my brain that I'm telling myself in the next period if I didn't do it well. Like today, it was my hands were pretty bad in the first period. I was like, 'Work on my hands, work on my balance, keep my chest up.'" His commitment to improvement is evident as he continues to adapt to NFL-level competition. "D-linemen in the league have a bunch of secondary and third moves. Their knowledge of what o-linemen do is so vast compared to college... That's stuff that I just have to engrain in my brain, like shit’s not over until the whistle blows," Coleman added.
Tremayne showcased his ability as well, making two downfield catches from Mariota after an early drop. On the defensive side, Mike Sainristil has been a consistent presence, not only on the starting defense but also in the return game. "Part of it is just my play style. I'm a guy that's gonna go hard until the whistle's blown. And then the second part of it is just getting myself to make that second nature for me, so that when it comes game time, I don’t even have to think about stuff like that," Sainristil emphasized.
Jer'Zhan Newton had his first taste of first-team reps during this camp, making an impact by forcing McNichols to cut back during a play. K.J. Henry and Javontae Jean-Baptiste also made their presence felt during practice, contributing to a defense that has shown flashes of potential.
In the special teams department, kicker Ramiz Ahmed stole the show by not missing any field goals during the team portion of Tuesday’s practice. Ahmed demonstrated his range and power, successfully making field goals from as far as 51 yards with room to spare.
One of the most consistent performers throughout the camp has been Jahan Dotson. Reflecting on his growth, Dotson remarked, "I feel like I'm just getting more comfortable, and that's enabling me to play faster and faster. That's been a big emphasis for me." His consistent performance has been a bright spot, offering a promising preview of what he might bring to the upcoming season.
Each day of training camp presents an opportunity for players to grow, adapt, and impress. As the Commanders prepare for the upcoming season, the intensity and competition will only continue to rise, promising more developments and exciting moments for both the players and the fans who support them.