ASHBURN — There was about a week last summer when Cole Turner didn’t just look as if the Washington Commanders had found a nice surprise late in the draft, but he also appeared on track to be a vital part of the offense. In that brief period, the athletic, pass-catching tight end seemed to be a favorite of quarterback Carson Wentz. Turner’s 6-foot-6 size was too hard not to notice.
Then, that all changed when Turner got hurt.
The rookie injured his hamstring — and the severity of the ailment was worse, he says, than he and the team let on. Turner returned to practice before the start of the 2022 season and played in 10 games, but his impact was never quite the same as that fleeting weeklong stretch in training camp.
“It definitely derailed it,” Turner said. “We didn’t initially think it was as bad as it was.”
This offseason, Turner is now fully recovered. And across Washington’s voluntary workouts and mandatory minicamp, the 23-year-old has closely resembled the player that tantalized coaches and teammates a year ago.
Turner’s upside is partly why the Commanders felt they didn’t have to address the tight end position this offseason. Rather than draft another prospect or make a splashy free agent signing, the Commanders have been confident that starter Logan Thomas can return to form another year removed from a serious knee injury — and that Turner can make a leap.
Last year, coach Ron Rivera called Turner the team’s most intriguing selection past the fourth round of the NFL draft. Turner, by the way, was picked in the same round as quarterback Sam Howell.
A year later, the sentiment behind Rivera’s comment still might hold true.
“He’s had a great spring,” Rivera said of Turner. “He’s been here almost the entire offseason on a voluntary basis doing the things that he needs to do and develop. One thing is you’ve seen this, he’s got a really good grasp of the offense so far.
“He’s still learning it, but he’s learning it quickly and doing the things that we need to have him do to be able to help us go forward.”
Of course, there are dozens, if not hundreds of, players around the NFL who flash every summer and then go on to do little once the season starts. As much as Turner looked impressive last summer before the injury, he ultimately finished his first season with only two catches for 23 yards. On Washington’s offense alone, Turner received the fewest touches among the 19 to catch or run the ball at least once. For context, even Reggie Bonnafon — a running back added for Week 18 — finished ahead of Turner.
Turner, though, said he feels his hamstring injury was a legitimate impediment to having a productive rookie campaign. Turner revealed that he suffered a tear that created a divot, adding he tried to return from the injury too soon. “I was just really in a rush to go out there and wanted to play and help the team out,” he said.
The ailment also caused Turner to alter his offseason approach. The tight end implemented a strict diet and worked on cutting fat. His workouts this year focused more on his hamstrings, as well other singular muscle groups. As a result, Turner said he went from a body fat percentage of 14% to 9%.
“I’ve always ate right, but I just like the type of workouts I was doing, it’s a little more tailored to what I want to do,” Turner said.
Turner said he now “really likes” where he’s at physically. And that has helped make a difference in his game, too. Turner said he feels “crisper” breaking in and out of the top of his routes. That’s an area the tight end focused on improving after watching film from his rookie season.
In Washington’s offseason workouts, Turner has been a steady target for Howell — especially down the field. In one notable sequence, Howell hit Turner near the sideline with a ball perfectly placed over the top.
It was the kind of catch Turner made regularly during last year’s one-week span.
“I feel like I’m at a better spot now than I was before,” Turner said.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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