Commanders Minicamp: Three players not named Jayden Daniels to watch on offense
The Washington Commanders offense is going to look a lot different in 2024 and it all starts with the new face of the franchise in quarterback Jayden Daniels. He's not the only reason to be encouraged, though. The team returns star wideout Terry McLaurin, it added veterans Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz, and Kliff Kingsbury is […]
The Washington Commanders offense is going to look a lot different in 2024 and it all starts with the new face of the franchise in quarterback Jayden Daniels.
He's not the only reason to be encouraged, though. The team returns star wideout Terry McLaurin, it added veterans Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz, and Kliff Kingsbury is now running the show as offensive coordinator.
Still, there are some questions to figure out along the way. That all starts this week with mandatory minicamp. So, let's take a look at some guys on offense that we should pay attention to.
1. LTs Cornelius Lucas/Brandon Coleman/Trent Scott/Braeden Daniels
This is already a crowded position group for a spot that's only offering two jobs, at most: tackle. Specifically, left tackle.
The leading candidate to protect Daniels' blindside, right now, is Lucas the veteran. He's been primarily a swing tackle his entire career and the flexibility is certainly a positive, but can he make it as a full-time starter? That's the big question.
Rookie third-rounder, Brandon Coleman, is next in line. He's an athletic lineman and has the strength and smarts to play in the NFL, but is obviously still raw. The hope is his development can hit the fast track over the next couple months, but that obviously remains to be seen.
Scott and Daniels are the odd men out when including incumbent starter, Andrew Wylie, at right tackle. Teams typically don't carry more than three tackles on their roster and with Lucas' versatility, that should be the case in 2024.
This week's pecking order will give us a good idea of where things stand and then we'll see how each guy takes advantage -or misses out- on their opportunity before training camp.
2. WR Luke McCaffrey
The rookie wideout already carries weight simply because of his last name and so far, through rookie minicamp and OTAs, he's shown every bit of the professional side the Commanders saw during the pre-draft process.
But now, it's time to show what he can do on the field. Especially considering the Commanders' severe lack of depth at receiver after McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. If either one of those guys go down for an extended period of time, then Washington's passing attack will be in trouble.
The door is wide open for McCaffrey to snag the WR3 job and this week represents the first major steps in doing just that.
3. TE Ben Sinnott
Zach Ertz is clearly the leader in this race. Sinnott's mention isn't really about whether or not he can climb the ladder – he's here because it will be fun to monitor exactly how he's used over the course of the coming week.
Sinnott is looked at as an H-back type, a guy that will be moved all over the offense, including in the backfield. Kingsbury's offense is perfectly suited for that type of player, as they can not only provide help on certain plays, but mismatches and wrinkles, too.
Sinnott is one of the more intriguing storylines of 2024, in general, and we'll get a really good look at how the staff plans on utilizing him, which is exciting to think about.
