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The Washington Commanders were in pads on Monday for the first time since training camp opened last Wednesday. The first day in pads can be a true litmus test for finding out which players are ready.
Over the first few days of camp, the defense held the advantage over the offense. Things changed Monday, as quarterback Jayden Daniels had his best day of camp so far, and the offense looked much improved. That's not to say Daniels has looked bad at all — he hasn't — but the defense has often overwhelmed the Commanders' offensive line, specifically the interior.
The first day in pads also created opportunities for those who may have gotten off to a slow start early in camp. We named four standouts from Washington's first padded practice earlier. Now, let's review three players who had a good day on Monday and what it could mean moving forward.
This is exactly what Washington needed. The key here is: can he string together a few solid performances in a row? Good-Jones is 29 and has been in the NFL since 2020, but has only played two career snaps. He's often seen limited reps because of his place on the depth chart. Perhaps the chance to see increased snaps can give a better indication of what type of player he can become. Good-Jones entered training camp on the outside looking in for the 53-man roster. If he can continue stacking good days, he has a chance to make the roster as the only true center behind Allegretti. The Commanders probably aren't ready to go into the season with a sixth-round rookie as the primary backup, although they really like Matt Gulbin. This is a big week for Good-Jones with Allegretti out.
The size, the speed, length, wingspan and athleticism are all tantalizing. But Josephs still fell to the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. After going heavy on edge rushers in free agency, it was a smart strategy for Washington to scoop up Josephs. It's early in camp, but he's making at least one play every day, showing off all of his high-end traits. The Commanders don't need Josephs to play 40% of the snaps in 2026. They'd like to see him develop as a backup edge, coming off the bench on some third downs and getting after the quarterback. Find him a role this summer, and let him specialize in that role. Josephs is almost like a lottery ticket for Washington. It will be fun to watch him develop throughout the remainder of the summer.
Stevens, the undrafted rookie, and Jake Moody, the incumbent, have been neck-and-neck early in camp. Moody has been perfect, though, while Stevens missed a couple of field goals on Saturday. Stevens could not afford another practice where he missed multiple kicks. If he can keep it close, the upside is there for him to win the job. Unless one of these players absolutely melts down, this battle should go down to the final preseason game. The ball pops off Stevens' foot. While both kickers have strong legs, Stevens is intriguing. If both kickers continue at their current pace, both will be starting kickers somewhere in 2026. Stevens needed a strong day on Monday, and he delivered.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 3 encouraging performances from Day 4 of Commanders training camp
Continue reading...
Over the first few days of camp, the defense held the advantage over the offense. Things changed Monday, as quarterback Jayden Daniels had his best day of camp so far, and the offense looked much improved. That's not to say Daniels has looked bad at all — he hasn't — but the defense has often overwhelmed the Commanders' offensive line, specifically the interior.
The first day in pads also created opportunities for those who may have gotten off to a slow start early in camp. We named four standouts from Washington's first padded practice earlier. Now, let's review three players who had a good day on Monday and what it could mean moving forward.
C Julian Good-Jones
This is exactly what Washington needed. The key here is: can he string together a few solid performances in a row? Good-Jones is 29 and has been in the NFL since 2020, but has only played two career snaps. He's often seen limited reps because of his place on the depth chart. Perhaps the chance to see increased snaps can give a better indication of what type of player he can become. Good-Jones entered training camp on the outside looking in for the 53-man roster. If he can continue stacking good days, he has a chance to make the roster as the only true center behind Allegretti. The Commanders probably aren't ready to go into the season with a sixth-round rookie as the primary backup, although they really like Matt Gulbin. This is a big week for Good-Jones with Allegretti out.
EDGE Joshua Josephs
The size, the speed, length, wingspan and athleticism are all tantalizing. But Josephs still fell to the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. After going heavy on edge rushers in free agency, it was a smart strategy for Washington to scoop up Josephs. It's early in camp, but he's making at least one play every day, showing off all of his high-end traits. The Commanders don't need Josephs to play 40% of the snaps in 2026. They'd like to see him develop as a backup edge, coming off the bench on some third downs and getting after the quarterback. Find him a role this summer, and let him specialize in that role. Josephs is almost like a lottery ticket for Washington. It will be fun to watch him develop throughout the remainder of the summer.
K Drew Stevens
Stevens, the undrafted rookie, and Jake Moody, the incumbent, have been neck-and-neck early in camp. Moody has been perfect, though, while Stevens missed a couple of field goals on Saturday. Stevens could not afford another practice where he missed multiple kicks. If he can keep it close, the upside is there for him to win the job. Unless one of these players absolutely melts down, this battle should go down to the final preseason game. The ball pops off Stevens' foot. While both kickers have strong legs, Stevens is intriguing. If both kickers continue at their current pace, both will be starting kickers somewhere in 2026. Stevens needed a strong day on Monday, and he delivered.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 3 encouraging performances from Day 4 of Commanders training camp
Continue reading...
