After months of waiting, the Washington Commanders' first training camp under the new regime is set to begin on Wednesday, and like every year, there will be plenty of storylines to watch as the team prepares for the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here are four things to watch over the next month.
1. Jayden Daniels
The Commanders have known more struggles than victories at the quarterback position for the better part of three decades. They believe that part of their history is over now that Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels is the future of the position.
We don't know when head coach Dan Quinn is going to officially name a starter for the 2024 season, but there's nothing from Daniels' play on the field that would suggest he is unprepared for the role. He looked sharp in practice, handled press conferences like a veteran and impressed his teammates with his work ethic and desire to improve.
But OTAs are obviously different from training camp. If the offseason workout program was Daniels' time to affirm that Washington made the right choice in picking him, training camp is when Daniels needs to earn the right to be under center in Week 1. It will be another test for the No. 2 pick, as practices will get more physical, faster and closer to what he will experience in an NFL game.
Daniels hasn't done anything yet to rattle the team's confidence in him; rather, his athleticism and dedication indicate that he is more than ready to take on the task. Still, every rep will be dissected over the next month to see if Daniels is ready to be QB1 as a rookie.
If Daniels looks the way he did during OTAs -- delivering on-target throws to his receivers and commanding the offense -- then the competition between him and Marcus Mariota should be a formality.
2. The competition at LT
The Commanders' questions at left tackle have existed since the offseason began in January. It's a position fans want to know the most about, but with days left until the first practice of camp, there's little to say other than Quinn's assessment: it's going to take some time before a clear starter emerges from the trio of Cornelius Lucas, Brandon Coleman and Trent Scott.
At least we're finally going to get some concrete answers.
Much of the attention will be on Coleman, a third-round pick from TCU, and whether he can make enough progress to win the job outright. Evaluating offensive linemen can be difficult in June due to how much contact the position demands every play, but Coleman's footwork improved each day. He even received some starting reps near the end of the offseason workout program.
If he's not ready to go by Week 1, then either Lucas or Scott -- both experienced veterans with serviceable starts in their careers -- will take over. Both have been promised an opportunity to compete, and Lucas has doubled down on his efforts to stand out among his competition.
Like quarterback, left tackle is a position that could take a while to get a final decision on. But with such a high draft pick in the backfield, it's a process that deserves a long evaluation process.
3. The shuffling in the secondary
The Commanders' secondary is like a puzzle. There's a lot of pieces that could work together, but there's no instruction manual on how those pieces will fit.
At first glance, the group appears to be more talented than it was in 2023, when it was at the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed. Michael Davis, Jeremy Chinn and other depth pieces were brought in to add some stability and a new attitude to the backend of the defense. Both appear to be locks as starters, but the rest of the position is a mystery.
The starting cornerback position opposite Davis was a mix of Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Benjamin St-Juste in June. Both have their positive traits, with Forbes showing improvements from his up-and-down rookie season and St-Juste have some success against No. 1 receivers; both also have areas of growth they need to address.
Safety is a bit more straightforward. Barring any unforeseen training camp hero or injury, both of which happen every year, it looks like the stage is set for Quan Martin to be a starter. However, it will be on him to show that the second half of his rookie season, when he was a much better player, is the truer version of his skill set.
4. The backend of the WR room
The top of the Commanders' receiver room might feature two of the surest locks on the roster. Terry McLaurin is the clear No. 1 wideout, while Jahan Dotson is firmly placed as the No. 2.
How the rest of the position works out is anyone's guess.
At the center of it all is where third-round pick Luke McCaffrey ends up landing on the depth chart. McCaffrey was one of the most impressive players during OTAs and could already have a leg up as the slot receiver. If that's the case, then the rest of the position becomes a bit clearer.
Washington's receiver position is also filled with players from the previous regime who are looking to show they can add value to the new system. Players like Dax Milne and Jamison Crowder have the added benefit of special teams experience, which could help their case. Others, like Dyami Brown, are looking to show they can finally put it all together and live up to their potential.
Like most positions, it'll come down to how many receivers the Commanders decide to keep after camp. No matter the number, however, it's sure to be one of the most competitive groups for the next few weeks.
