The Commanders are working their way through their offseason program. We’re heading into the final week of OTAs, with a mandatory veteran minicamp on the immediate horizon.
We’ll hit the final OTA open to the media on Tuesday, with plenty to keep an eye on in this practice. We’ve learned plenty to this point, with a lot more to figure out during training camp deeper into the summer.
Here are a few names to watch as we work through the offseason program:
Rachaad White catching passes
We won’t have a firm grasp on the state of the Commanders
running game until the pads come on, but we can catch glimpses of how they work out of the backfield as pass catching options. Free-agent signing Rachaad White is a good one, someone with a solid track record as a receiver.
He had 50 catches for 290 yards and two touchdowns last season, but he had 64 catches for 549 yards and three scores the year before. There’s potential here, especially with Bill Croskey-Merritt not expected to be an active part of the passing game.
And, during a time without contact, running back evaluation is best kept to the passing game. This is where White can shine and earn a defined role in a crowded backfield with Croskey-Merritt and rookie Kaytron Allen, among others.
While will be a weapon as a runner and passer, but could really be an asset as a third-down back. That’s something worth watching at this stage of the offseason program.
Luke McCaffrey and the WR2 battle
There’s a fair assumption that the Commanders will add another receiver to the roster before we start playing for keeps. General manager Adam Peters hasn’t said so directly, though the assumption (right or nah) is that Brandon Aiyuk will be a Commander — he sure seems to want that — when/if the San Francisco 49ers release him. Or Washington could sign DMV guy and steady producer Stefon Diggs, though he’s on the market and has been for some time.
There are athletes vying for the spot opposite Terry McLaurin right now, with former first-round pick Treylon Burks and this year’s third-round pick Antonio Williams vying for regular duty.
There are options at that spot but also think about the slot, where receiving talent will be required. Fans are bullish on Luke McCaffrey, who shined at times and can be a positive contributor. Can Dyami Brown be better in his second Commanders stint? And then there’s Jaylin Lane, a 2025 fourth-round pick looking to prove himself. Those guys are here at OTAs and deserve a long look, whether Peters chooses to add to the position group or not.
Where’s Amik Robertson?
Free-agent signing Amik Robertson is generally known as a slot cornerback, and for good reason. He has played a ton inside and has done well in those endeavors. That said, he’s versatile enough to play outside as well.
While OTAs are a time where we’ll see mixing and matching and players cross training positions, this is an opportunity to see how the Commanders use the cornerbacks at their disposal. Even with Trey Amos still sidelined while recovering from a lower leg injury, the cornerback positioning remains important. How much is Robertson working inside versus outside? Is he a member of the first-team base defense right now? How often are we seeing safeties in the slot? As we expect, Daronte Jones will run a bunch of three safety sets. How often is that the case?
We can take mental notes on all of these things to give us clues about the new scheme as we head towards training camp. Robertson is the keystone in this renewed defensive effort, as he’s the one high on the depth chart who can move around the secondary. Even with Amos out, is he lining up inside? All those things tip the hand of Jones’ preference in this early stage.
What else are you looking for from Tuesday’s OTA? Let us know in the comments below:
