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The Washington Commanders are kicking off training camp this week, which means we're one step closer to the season. It feels like we know plenty about this roster, and who will play which role, but there are definitely still some questions.
Of course, the biggest question is whether or not the Commanders can stay healthy. Health can be blamed for much of the team's struggles in 2025, so simply having a healthier team should make a big difference. There are also plenty of new contributors who were added this offseason.
Any time new talent is added, it means other plays can get displaced. There are also players who have progressed from last year, which will set up some interesting camp battles. Today, we're going to identify those battles.
When it comes to impacting the team in 2026, this left guard battle could be the most important. Chris Paul and Brandon Coleman are duking it out for the spot once again, after Paul took the job from Coleman early in 2025.
Paul delivered mixed results. In 15 starts, the guard put up a poor 49.5 overall PFF grade, but he had a respectable 77.4 grade as a pass blocker. Coleman, meanwhile, put up a 65.4 overall grade, with similar numbers as a pass and run blocker, albeit in a much smaller sample size.
Of course, last year's PFF grades won't matter much this summer. Whoever steps up and performs better during camp and the preseason will win the job. The Commanders re-signed Paul this offseason, so clearly, they feel good about rolling with him again if they have to.
The only thing we know for sure about this wide receiver room is that Terry McLaurin is WR1. There will be a battle for the WR2 spot, which many expect to go to rookie Antonio Williams.
However, after that, there are several battles just to make the team. It seems like only one of Treylon Burks or Van Jefferson will make it, so who will it be? Jefferson impressed over the summer, but Burks is younger and may still have untapped upside.
Can Jaylin Lane or Luke McCaffrey step up and earn snaps? How big of a role will Dyami Brown play in his return to Washington? There are a lot of unknowns with this group.
The Commanders' cornerback room got more interesting after the team recently added veteran Rasul Douglas. Douglas is a reliable veteran with starting experience who can definitely challenge for a role.
Right now, it seems like Douglas, Mike Sainristil, and Ahkello Witherspoon are fighting for the starting corner spot opposite Trey Amos. However, Amos was recently put on the PUP list, so it will be interesting to see if that affects the competition. If Amos has to miss time, the team will probably turn to Douglas and Sainristil as the two boundary corners.
There's also a battle for the final spot. Assume Amos, Sainristil, Douglas, and Amik Robertson are locks, that could leave just one spot for Witherspoon, Antonio Hamilton Sr., and Darius Rush, among others.
The Commanders' kicker in 2026 will either be Jake Moody or undrafted free agent Drew Stevens. Moody got in six games for the Commanders last season and converted 10 of his 11 field goal attempts and 10 of his 11 extra points.
Stevens, meanwhile, had a successful college career at Iowa, where he went 76-of-95 on field goals and 124-of-126 on extra points. Neither kicker pulled away during the offseason program, though, meaning this race will come down to the wire.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 4 biggest position battles heading into Commanders training camp
Continue reading...
Of course, the biggest question is whether or not the Commanders can stay healthy. Health can be blamed for much of the team's struggles in 2025, so simply having a healthier team should make a big difference. There are also plenty of new contributors who were added this offseason.
Any time new talent is added, it means other plays can get displaced. There are also players who have progressed from last year, which will set up some interesting camp battles. Today, we're going to identify those battles.
Left guard
When it comes to impacting the team in 2026, this left guard battle could be the most important. Chris Paul and Brandon Coleman are duking it out for the spot once again, after Paul took the job from Coleman early in 2025.
Paul delivered mixed results. In 15 starts, the guard put up a poor 49.5 overall PFF grade, but he had a respectable 77.4 grade as a pass blocker. Coleman, meanwhile, put up a 65.4 overall grade, with similar numbers as a pass and run blocker, albeit in a much smaller sample size.
Of course, last year's PFF grades won't matter much this summer. Whoever steps up and performs better during camp and the preseason will win the job. The Commanders re-signed Paul this offseason, so clearly, they feel good about rolling with him again if they have to.
Wide receiver
The only thing we know for sure about this wide receiver room is that Terry McLaurin is WR1. There will be a battle for the WR2 spot, which many expect to go to rookie Antonio Williams.
However, after that, there are several battles just to make the team. It seems like only one of Treylon Burks or Van Jefferson will make it, so who will it be? Jefferson impressed over the summer, but Burks is younger and may still have untapped upside.
Can Jaylin Lane or Luke McCaffrey step up and earn snaps? How big of a role will Dyami Brown play in his return to Washington? There are a lot of unknowns with this group.
Cornerback
The Commanders' cornerback room got more interesting after the team recently added veteran Rasul Douglas. Douglas is a reliable veteran with starting experience who can definitely challenge for a role.
Right now, it seems like Douglas, Mike Sainristil, and Ahkello Witherspoon are fighting for the starting corner spot opposite Trey Amos. However, Amos was recently put on the PUP list, so it will be interesting to see if that affects the competition. If Amos has to miss time, the team will probably turn to Douglas and Sainristil as the two boundary corners.
There's also a battle for the final spot. Assume Amos, Sainristil, Douglas, and Amik Robertson are locks, that could leave just one spot for Witherspoon, Antonio Hamilton Sr., and Darius Rush, among others.
Kicker
The Commanders' kicker in 2026 will either be Jake Moody or undrafted free agent Drew Stevens. Moody got in six games for the Commanders last season and converted 10 of his 11 field goal attempts and 10 of his 11 extra points.
Stevens, meanwhile, had a successful college career at Iowa, where he went 76-of-95 on field goals and 124-of-126 on extra points. Neither kicker pulled away during the offseason program, though, meaning this race will come down to the wire.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 4 biggest position battles heading into Commanders training camp
Continue reading...
