theathleticuk
The Washington Commanders have their first training camp practice in 29 days, which, for some, means potentially spending 29 more days staring at Instagram for the most recent dispatches from a certain wide receiver employed by another team.
But for those of us who are not tracking the latest money-tossing videos filmed in empty closets, there are plenty of questions worth answering before the Commanders return to the field.
Lets dive into the mailbag, shall we? (Note: Questions may have been edited for clarity and length.) Advertisement How realistic of an option is Brandon Aiyuk for the Commanders? His talent isnt in question, but he seems like a character risk.
Brian K.
I am shocked shocked! someone asked about Aiyuk.
We havent discussed him enough this offseason.
Heres what I can tell you: I know that earlier in the offseason, the Commanders were interested in him to the extent that they would consider a one-year, highly incentivized deal if and when the San Francisco 49ers ever release him.
Jayden Daniels is obviously close with the 28-year-old receiver, and general manager Adam Peters was a part of San Franciscos front office when it drafted Aiyuk in 2020.
So they know what Aiyuk was at his peak.
The Commanders were not going to trade for him, though.
The thinking was that if Aiyuk played anywhere close to the level he did a few years ago, then the Commanders would have two excellent receivers with him and Terry McLaurin, with depth and speed behind them.
If things went south with Aiyuk, the Commanders could get out at no real cost.
But this was before the erratic Instagram rants that have created worry about Aiyuks frame of mind.
What was once a seemingly minimal-risk option now appears more concerning.
If the 49ers do release Aiyuk before the start of training camp, the Commanders could still consider him.
But theyd have to feel incredibly confident that hes fit, physically and emotionally, to not just sign, but be committed to what theyre trying to build.
Thats a big if given his recent history and the fallout with the 49ers.
Then theres the physical component.
His talent a few years ago may not have been in question, but his ability to play at that level now certainly is; the last time he was active was in Week 7 of the 2024 season.
That was more than 20 months ago.
Aiyuk had not been working with his former agent, Ryan Williams, for quite some time before the paperwork was officially filed on Saturday to terminate their agreement, according to league sources.
(Its worth noting that either the player or the agent could file the necessary paperwork with the NFL Players Association and its not clear which one did in this case.) But no matter: Aiyuk is still under contract with the 49ers.
Advertisement Theres a lot to unpack and plenty of reason for the Commanders to have trepidation in taking him on, if theres still interest.
He has seemed to achieve what he wants by drawing headline after headline with his social media posts, but the long-term prospects of a return no longer seem as promising.
There will be some welcome changes to the offense under new OC David Blough.
The playbook will open up with Jayden Daniels often under center.
That being said, is there a small or larger portion of the offensive concepts run under Kliff Kingsbury that will still be featured in the new offense? Daryl L.
Yes, though it may be most noticeable in two-minute situations, when the Commanders go up-tempo.
Blough has said his offense will be an amalgamation of concepts he picked up from play callers hes played for and coached alongside in past years.
To think he wouldnt incorporate anything from Kingsbury would be foolish; he played for Kingsbury in Arizona in 2022 and spent his first two seasons as a coach learning from Kingsbury here in Washington.
What can you say about the Commanders rebuilt defense? Is it going to again be the worst in the league or can we expect to see a defense closer to the league average? raymond_vass I dont think well have any real sense of the defenses ceiling (or floor) until we see them in a couple of joint training camp practices.
Those have typically served as better measures of the teams progress than preseason games because of how little starters play in the exhibition games.
Think back to Emmanuel Forbes rough go against the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
He went from being a promising young corner to more of a concern after going against Zay Flowers.
And remember how Daniels impressed in a joint practice against the Miami Dolphins in 24, or when New Englands Drake Maye picked apart Washingtons defense in a camp practice last year in Foxboro, Mass.? At this point, we know the pieces the Commanders have and the concepts theyre likely to run just based on new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones history in the NFL.
But having the basis of a Brian Flores defense (which is really the basis of a Bill Belichick defense) doesnt mean the Commanders will resemble the Minnesota Vikings.
Until we see them go against another offense, we wont know how well theyve picked up the system and can play off each other.
If you were Washingtons GM right now, what would be the first two moves you would want to make to strengthen the team before the upcoming season starts? Rob S.
1) Scour the waiver wire after roster cuts to add depth, especially at receiver.
2) Improve the internet in the media room.
Advertisement I realize its convenient to say they need to add a No.
2 receiver, they need an elite corner, they need to bolster the safety corps and they need this top-notch player or that.
But there are only so many options at this point in the season, and most of them provide depth.
One player who intrigues me is receiver Curtis Samuel.
The gamble may always be health-related with him.
Hes dealt with a string of injuries throughout his career and has been active for only two full seasons in his nine years in the NFL.
But hes still unsigned following his release from Buffalo in March.
Im told hes fully healthy.
We know hes very close to McLaurin.
He played all three seasons in Washington alongside Dyami Brown, and hes familiar with receivers coach Bobby Engram, who was Samuels positional coach for his final season with the Commanders.
Samuels not at the point in his career where he could be a No.
2 in terms of workload, but his versatility and ability to separate could make him a good depth option in Bloughs offense (But really, if I can achieve No.
2, I might as well retire.) Does any other position group use virtual reality training like Jayden Daniels? If it helps him, it seems that it should help some defensive players as well.
Idrissa B.
You dont hear about it as much, though Im sure some non-QBs across the league use it in various capacities.
For skill position players, it can be beneficial in reading coverages and practicing routes.
Defensive backs can use it to read a quarterbacks eyes and get some extra work in zone vs.
man.
But the technology, for now, seems better suited for quarterbacks because of the complexity of their position.
No other position on the field requires the quick processing that quarterbacks must make on every snap.
Why wont anyone i.e., coaches, players, trainers, former players and reporters address the health of our itty-bitty frail diva QB? Has he built his body up like Bill? Is he less cocky and pretentious? He will never make it to mid-season, just saying! Ed S.
Sheesh, someones salty.
Im not sure where the diva and cocky and pretentious parts are coming from.
I havent heard any player in Washington say they dislike playing alongside Daniels, and multiple veterans over the last two years have praised his humility.
Advertisement But as far as Daniels frame, hes really not that small.
If you read anything Ive written over the last couple of years, you would have known that questions about his size and health have been asked by reporters repeatedly, including by yours truly.
Daniels size was a concern going into the 2024 draft, but take it from someone who has seen him every day in practice and in games for the last two-plus years: Hes not as wiry as people make him out to be.
The injuries last year were no doubt concerning and among the many reasons the team decided to make wholesale changes to the offense.
Daniels also needs to do more to protect himself and avoid taking unnecessary hits.
But none of those injuries last season to his knee, hamstring or elbow seemed to be due to his size.
Bill, or Jacory Croskey-Merritt, got bigger this offseason because he needed to for his position and because most skill players use the offseason to regain what they inevitably lose during a 17-plus-game season.
Josh Conerly is notably bigger this year and if he takes another step or two forward in his progression, the O-line, especially at OT, could be a real strength.
However, what is your read on how the team is feeling at center thus far, and do you think another player will be added before the season starts? BBeaudy101 The team seems fairly confident in Nick Allegretti.
Granted, theres only so much the offensive line can show at this point, since hitting is prohibited until training camp.
Extending the contract of left tackle Laremy Tunsil and continuing to develop Conerly should have been and were the priorities up front.
With Chris Paul re-signing and Sam Cosmi returning, the Commanders were able to keep four-fifths of their offensive line and arguably the most important four pieces together.
(I say that with the utmost respect to Allegretti and other centers.) The center position is not foreign to Allegetti, which is part of why Washington signed him in the first place in 2024; he can and has played all three interior positions.
He goes into training camp as the teams most experienced player at the position, but Washington also has Julian Good-Jones and sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin.
Could the Commanders add another center after camp? Sure, but it would only make sense if Allegretti really struggled and if a starter-level player came available.
Im guessing there will be questions galore on Dan Quinns job security.
My take is slightly different in that going with two brand-new coordinators is more of a vote of confidence in DQ and Adam Peters (which I favor).
It would have to be a disastrous start, 2-10, to see an in-season change, or a 4-13 season.
What is your feeling on how bad (it has to be for there to be change)? Steve L.
If the Commanders are 3-5 through the first eight, is Dan Quinn out? Anonymous U.
I think I understand your thinking, Steve, though Im not sure I necessarily agree with it.
I think turning to two first-year coordinators and essentially starting over on both sides of the ball are significant risks for Quinn, and maybe less so for Peters.
No one has told me this or even insinuated it, but I think the Commanders playoff run in 2024 essentially bought Quinn this season to try to turn things around.
Two bad years wouldve likely been the end of his run in Washington.
Advertisement If the team has a dreadful start to 2026 and by dreadful, I mean more like 1-7 than 3-5 Quinn will probably start to feel the heat.
(A 3-5 start can be turned around in the second half of a season.) But would a dreadful start be enough to prompt Peters and owner Josh Harris to fire him in season? Ive never seen the long-term value in firing a coach midseason, unless that team still has a viable shot at making the playoffs and ownership/the front office believes a change could put them over the edge.
If Washington is still in contention, maybe it would make sense so as not to lose another season while Daniels is on his rookie deal.
But if the Commanders are out of the race, they may think its better to just wait until seasons end to make a change.
For one, its costly to fire a head coach early because it usually means a mostly new staff will come in while a team is still paying any remaining contract years of the previous staff.
Two, it can disrupt the development of the teams youngest players, especially the quarterback.
And three, turning to an interim coach rarely has lasting benefits for the coach or the team.
There may be an initial spark, but rarely does the interim stay on full time in that role, and rarely does the team suddenly turn into a consistent winner.
But Im old enough to remember when firing a coach after only two seasons seemed absurd.
The urgency to win now and win repeatedly has never seemed greater in the NFL.
What happened in Washington years ago has no bearing on this season, and should the Commanders have another rough go, it wouldnt surprise if they tried more wholesale changes for 2027.
What vibes are you sensing about the Commanders right now as training camp is right around the corner? Ed H.
Vibes are high but thats usually the case for every team at this point in the year.
Everyone is a Super Bowl contender in the spring! What is your way too early breakdown of the 53? Johnny M.
A way too early breakdown of the 53 is called a wasted day in June.