Commanders OTAs Preview: Jayden Daniels’ new challenge, a scary front seven, and more storylines to watch over the next few weeks
The Commanders officially kick off OTAs on Wednesday and while it’s still very early in the offseason, there’s plenty of tangible storylines to keep an eye on as the weeks pass.
The Washington Commanders being OTAs today and naturally, there’s a lot to keep up with a team coming off an offseason makeover.
For the unaware, OTAs are in Phase III of the offseason. Now, teams are allowed to conduct 7-0n-7, 7-0n-9, and 11-0n-11 drills between the offense and defense. The Commanders are allowed to conduct 10 practices during OTAs ahead of mandatory minicamp, which is in mid-June. No live contact is permitted and players aren’t wearing pads, per the NFL’s CBA.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into some of the main storylines ahead of Commanders OTAs.
6 storylines to watch during Commanders OTAs
1. Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ new offense gets some real work
Daniels is learning a new offense for the first time in his three-year career and it’s one that new offensive coordinator David Blough built over the offseason. Sure, Daniels and the rest of the Commanders offense have had some time to dive into the playbook, but this is the first time they’ll apply what they’ve learned against an actual NFL defense.
There’s bound to be ups and downs, even in t-shorts and shirts. Hell, Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken publicly called out his quarterbacks for throwing interceptions in 7-0n-7 drills, last week. I don’t think Dan Quinn is one to do that, but the point stands.
Daniels has some new pieces to work with in tight end Chig Okwonko, receiver Antonio Williams, and running back Rachaad White. It’ll be intriguing to see how things come together in the early phases of Commanders OTAs.
2. Who starts to gain momentum behind Terry McLaurin?
Sticking with the offense – the Commanders still don’t have a true No. 2 target opposite their star wideout. Sure, there are names and leaders, but no one has established themselves, yet.
Williams is definitely the favorite, but he’s a rookie. We’ve seen plenty of guys make an impact in their first year at the position, however, that can’t be relied upon. There are too many factors that have to work for Williams to hit gangbusters status in Year 1 and that’s nothing on him. It’s just how the NFL works.
Antonio Williams’ career college stats
Williams played four seasons at Clemson, with his best year coming in 2024. Below are the total numbers he racked up from 2022-2025:
- Receptions: 208
- Receiving yards: 2,336
- Receiving touchdowns: 21
- Yards per reception: 11.2
- Games played: 43
After that, it’s hard to decipher plausible options. Luke McCaffrey who’s yet to really step up. Dyami Brown had a breakout year in 2024, but quickly faded in Jacksonville before returning to Washington. Treylon Burks is a first-round bust, with all due respect, and Jaylin Lane is better suited as a third or fourth option, right now.
The rest of the room are mostly special teams players and younger guys who went previously went undrafted. None of this means the Commanders are out of luck, it just means the door is wide open for someone to step up and make a name for themself.
That starts today.
3. Sorting out the running back room + Brandon Coleman and the interior offensive line
I’m going to combine these into one category. When it comes to the running back room, the Commanders have a pretty deep roster. There’s not one guy who’s expected to be a 250+ carry back, per se, but the team has a solid group to work with.
It’s a physical room that will likely be led by Rachaad White and Bill Croskey-Merritt. What about after them, though?
Keep an eye on UDFA rookie Robert Henry Jr. out of UTSA. The dude is a home run threat and can take it to the house on any carry. The rest of the Commanders running backs don’t really have that kind of ability and it can really help him stand out. Rookie sixth-rounder Kaytron Allen has the skills to also make some waves and threaten for a roster spot.
The Commanders are set at tackle and one of the guard positions, but what about center and left guard? Rookie Matt Gulbin could very well challenge Nick Allegretti for the starting center job, especially if he’s 100% healthy after offseason surgery. Chris Paul played well last year and re-signed with Washington, but by no means does his one-year, $3 million deal lock him into the starting left guard spot.
That’s where Brandon Coleman comes in. He proved he can provide quality snaps in 2024 and is a hyper-athletic player that can play both guard and tackle. He should give Paul a good run for his money and no matter what happens, the Commanders will be in a good spot with both a capable starter and backup.
4. We get our first look at Daronte Jones’ defense and the revamped front seven
It’s impossible to dislike the Commanders’ front seven on paper, especially if Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson live up to their billing.
The Commanders are still without a beefy nose tackle manning the middle, but they have enough size to get the job done against the run. The glaring aspect is the versatility of this group. From the defensive line to the linebackers – Daronte Jones has plenty to work with and can really create some mismatches with his personnel.
Obviously, Sonny Styles is an important name to monitor over the coming weeks. He’s expected to man the middle of this group and should wear the green dot before it’s all said and done.
And speaking of Jones, like Blough, this is the first real action his defense gets to see. It’s expected be a whole new look from that of the Dan Quinn/Joe Whitt Jr. system that was deployed over the last two seasons. How will the guys handle it?
5. A questionable secondary is ready to prove itself
The secondary is the biggest question on the Commanders roster.
Will Amik Robertson and Mike Sainristil return to their 2024 form? Is Trey Amos ready to bounce back from just an OK rookie season and a season-ending injury? How viable is the depth behind them? Simply put: The cornerback room is in trouble if one of them go down for an extended period of time.
Then there’s the safety position. The Commanders really need Quan Martin to bounce back from a tough year, because this group is without an effective centerfielder if he doesn’t. All of the Commanders safeties are better off in the box and while can play deep, shouldn’t be asked to do so on a consistent basis.
Regardless, OTAs is the first step toward showing doubters like myself this group is much better than it appears on paper.
6. Good ole’ fashioned kicker competition
What is a Commanders camp, or season for that matter, without a question mark at the placekicker position?
Dan Quinn confirmed the competition between Jake Moody and Drew Stevens during rookie minicamp and it’ll be intriguing to see how it plays out. Moody did well in his limited time with the Commanders last year, but it clearly wasn’t enough to lock up the job.
Stevens is an interesting prospect. He has a big leg, but was wildly inconsistent in college. His make percentage bounced from 88.9%, down to 69.2%, and then back up to 87.0% before dropping down to 78.6% in his final year of college.
The Commanders have zero concrete ties to Moody. The job could easily go to Stevens if he shows out during OTAs and throughout the rest of the summer