The primary goal for most teams going through training camp is to avoid players suffering serious injuries. Unfortunately, the Commanders will not be able to meet that marker after star left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during Saturday’s one-on-one drills.
There was a day to absorb the news before the team was back at it Monday and Tuesday, with many projected starters sitting out the second session. Wednesday brought a better look at the team with a joint-practice session versus the Dolphins.
Here are some of the top associated storylines.
Brandon Coleman takes over at left tackle
There was some speculation the team might try to shuffle right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. to the left side or add a free agent like Taylor Decker to the mix, but the team announced Monday that Brandon Coleman would be manning the left tackle position for now. Third-year pro Brandon Coleman looked good on Monday, opening holes in the run game and fighting off Odafe Oweh and Javon Kinlaw.
Per ESPN reporter John Keim’s article this week, Coleman made a conscious effort to change his training habits during the offseason with the goal of being more durable and improving his on-field performance. The team opted to promote Coleman to starting left tackle instead of going outside the organization, as Dan Quinn and David Blough have continually expressed their faith in his abilities. Coleman had some ups and downs during the joint practice but appears ready to take over the left tackle spot for the Commanders this season.
Colson Yankoff continues to level up his game
Tight end Colson Yankoff has reportedly been the MVP of training camp so far, with multiple reporters commenting positively on his playmaking ability.
Yankoff was a feel-good story as an undrafted free agent in 2024 while playing primarily special teams, but now appears ready to take a step forward and contribute to the offense. Blocking might still be a work in progress, but his athleticism and hands have been on display since the start of training camp. Yankoff received some playing time last year following Zach Ertz’s season-ending leg injury but has yet to score his first career touchdown and so far has less than twenty total receiving yards in his NFL career. It is possible he gets more opportunities with the offense under coordinator David Blough’s direction. His performance in training camp so far shows he’s ready to grab the opportunity.
WR competition remains tight
After dropping a few passes last week, Dyami Brown’s roster chances seemed like they might be evaporating. But on Monday, he flipped the conversation by hauling in a 40-yard bomb from quarterback Jayden Daniels. Monumental Sports reporter Mitch Tischler called him one of the surprises of camp, citing his proficiency in the end zone, which has been previously noted by Hogs Haven. With Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs sitting out the Tuesday session, Brown continued to build his connection with Daniels.
Treylon Burks continued to work with the return teams on Tuesday, but also made several offensive plays in Wednesday’s joint practice. That included hauling in a 70-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels while beating double coverage.
Van Jefferson also made some plays as well. Expect the roster competition in the wide receiver room to last well into preseason.
Is the safety room still unsettled?
Nick Cross continues to have a great camp and is locked in as a starter at one safety position. Veteran Jeremy Reaves has been getting plenty of time beside him. He sat out Tuesday’s session, which gave some other players more run. Percy Butler received some time with the first unit on Monday and the team continued to shuffle Tyler Owens around looking for the best fit for the third-year safety.
Noticeably missing from camp reports has been safety Quan Martin. On Monday, Tischler noted that Martin needed to step it up in preseason. Reaves also did not look good in Wednesday’s joint practice session. Harris and Martin were spotted on special teams drills the same day.
Second-year pro Robert McDaniel was released on Tuesday, making way for undrafted free agent Malik Spencer to receive more reps. Look for University of Maryland product and former 49er Qwuantrezz Knight to try and make his mark on special teams during preseason.
Some analysts continue to comment on how deep the safety room is this season, but the practice reports would indicate is has some issues. The linebacker room is unquestionably deep, and it is possible the team could use more three linebacker looks than three safeties this season. Frankie Luvu, Jordan Magee and Kain Medrano are all undersized linebackers that could fit a hybrid role, and both Luvu and Medrano made plays in the team’s joint practice.
Commanders look good in joint practice with the Dolphins
Washington’s defense shined against a Dolphins team that is still trying to find an identity and consistent playmakers. Commanders edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson looked good and overall the defense did a nice job shutting down Devon Achane and the run game. The secondary held their own, including a pick-six by Mike Sainristil, but this should have been expected lined up across the Dolphins wide receiver corps.
Daniels continues his strong play in camp and looks to be in complete command of Blough’s offense. Wide receivers were getting open at will in 11-on-11 drills. The offensive line was the biggest concern of the day, with Josh Conerly having an up-and-down performance versus Chop Robinson and Matt Gulbin delivering a few bad snaps to quarterback Marcus Mariota. The squad looked better in pass protection than in the run game, which is to be expected as the team shifts to a wide-zone scheme that requires timing and cohesion from the offensive line. Hopefully, it will develop, but the team needs to get Nick Allegretti back at center.
Overall, it was a positive and productive practice session against a team the Commanders should easily handle.
UDFA Watch
Drew Stevens seemingly claimed the lead in the kicking competition over Jake Moody, but both kickers had a day to forget on Monday. They did far better with perfect days at joint practice.
Chris Hilton Jr. was released on Saturday, but found a soft landing with the Packers.
While tight end John Bates continues to recover from an injury, Quentin Moore made a play in Tuesday’s session, catching a 20-yard pass from quarterback Sam Hartman.
Undrafted receiver Jaden Bradley had a bad drop on Tuesday. The addition of Stefon Diggs means he will need some big preseason games to make the final 53-man roster, but he did make some plays at joint practice.
