The Washington Commanders wrapped up their first week of training camp practice, complete with a couple of padded sessions, and that means concrete evaluations can finally start taking shape.

Several players have seen their stock go up through the opening week, so let’s go ahead and break it down.

1. Edge Odafe Oweh

Oweh was the Commanders’ biggest offseason investment, raking in a 4-year, $96 million deal, and so far he has looked to be worth every single penny.

Whether it’s getting after the quarterback, making plays in the run game, or making plays in coverage, Oweh has shown off the length, the strength, the speed, and the overall athletic traits that made him Washington’s prized addition. It will be worth watching just how much he plays in the preseason, but you have to love what’s coming out of camp so far.

“He’s given me a lot of freedom and understanding,” Oweh told reporters when asked how Daronte Jones is utilizing his skills. “You know, picking my spots when to take chances and stuff like that, which I haven’t usually had in the past except for the Chargers. But I appreciate that, and I’m going to continue to hone in when I can take my shots and make plays.”

2. Running back Bill Merritt

A lot of people came into the offseason believing Merritt would be the lead back in a running-back-by-committee approach, and so far that appears to be the case. The biggest reason why is that Merritt has shown real improvements in the passing game. That was honestly the area he needed to work on most, along with his fumbling issues. Merritt has consistently made plays as a receiver throughout camp, and several reporters have taken note of his soft hands.

This matters because if the Commanders can carve out a true lead back in this room, it only raises the ceiling. The floor is already high with the quartet of Merritt, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen, and Jerry McNichols, a group that can do a lot of things collectively. But if one guy can separate from the pack, it makes the offense that much more dangerous.

3. Linebacker Frankie Luvu

A lot of people wondered what Luvu would look like in 2026 after a down 2025 season, and so far he has bounced back. He has rebounded to the point where he is wearing the green dot, per reports. Several observers have noticed just how different he looks on the practice field because he is back to playing his natural position at off-ball linebacker. Last year, Louvu had to play EDGE and rush the passer at a high clip due to all the injuries Washington suffered. While Luvu can be an effective blitzer/pass rusher, you don’t want him doing that consistently. He is better roaming sideline to sideline and squaring off the middle of the field.

The fact that Luvu is anchoring what is arguably the NFL’s best linebacker room is a great sign for the Commanders’ defense heading into the regular season.

4. Safety Jeremy Reaves

There is a lot of intrigue surrounding Reaves coming into 2026 because he had a productive 2025 season, finishing with 91 tackles, an interception, a sack, 7 pass breakups, and 5 tackles for loss. Reaves, though, thinks he can be even better in 2026 because he simply doesn’t believe he played well last year. That tells me Reaves has high standards, because his production spoke for itself.

“I just told a young guy this other day (that) I just did what I always do,” Reaves recently told A to Z Sports when asked about his 2025 season. “I just, I just worked. I kept my head down, and I studied, and I prepped, and I, you know, as we say, it clicked last year. I didn’t feel like I played well. Last year wasn’t really up to the standard that I know I could play, and obviously we didn’t have a great year as a team.

“But at the end of the day, the work you put in always comes back to you one way or another, and so no matter how you know long it may take for it to pay you back, the game will always pay you back.”

Through camp, Reaves has impressed coaches and has been running with the ones in certain situations, per reports. Commanders coach Dan Quinn raved about him before Wednesday’s practice. The safety room still needs to be sorted out, but right now Reaves is the cream rising to the top.

5. Kickers Drew Stevens and Jake Moody

So far in camp, Moody has missed just three field goal attempts and Stevens has missed just one. It’s a tight battle. Sure, kicking competitions aren’t going to make headlines, but this is an area that has haunted the Commanders since Adam Peters and Dan Quinn took over in 2024. The fact that both guys are going toe-to-toe is an encouraging sign.

The real question is whether it carries over into the preseason and regular season. Washington has seen solid camp and preseason showings from kickers in the past, only to watch them flame out once meaningful games started. Either way, this competition is trending in the right direction.

6. Cornerback Rasul Douglas

The veteran cornerback immediately slotted in as the team’s best corner when he was signed a few weeks ago, and he responded by recording a pick-6 off quarterback Marcus Mariota on Day 2 of training camp. Douglas brings that savvy veteran instinct to the position, which is a big deal because corners who don’t have that awareness often get burned.

Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, Douglas is upping the ante in the cornerback room by making plays and providing a reliable veteran presence that the Commanders needed more of heading into the season.