‘Tell the Truth Monday’ at Commanders camp: Players, coaches reflect on preseason opener

ASHBURN — “The eye in the sky never lies,” Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott said after Monday’s practice, the first since Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Jets.

Coach Dan Quinn called it “Tell the Truth Monday” — a time for players and coaches to pore over the weekend’s film.

”It’s good to talk through the game, the pluses, the minuses, you get to discuss all of them,” Washington’s coach said before practice. “Some of the things I know now, today, I didn’t know last week.”

Saturday’s preseason opener gave the Commanders plenty of highlights to point to, including a 42-yard pass by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and an open-field tackle by punter Tress Way.

“We made a big deal out of that,” Quinn said of his punter’s tackle. “I think as big a deal on that was the sideline’s reaction to him making a tackle. I think it speaks to the love that his teammates have for him to have that kind of excitement.”

Way, the longest-tenured Commander, said he “felt like a football player” after scraping a finger on the field as he made the tackle. The sideline erupted for him, and teammates bombarded the 34-year-old with congratulatory head pats and gut punches.

“That’s my guy, man,” former special teams Pro Bowler Jeremy Reaves said. “I was hyped for him. To have a guy like that as a vet that’s willing to stick his nose in there like that, you’ve got to respect it.”

Rookie tight end Ben Sinnott relived his first NFL highlight during the film study — a 44-yard catch and run that saw the Kansas State product fight through five would-be tacklers.

“It was good to get that out of the way and prove to myself that I can do it at the next level,” Sinnott said after watching the tape. “I thought it was great. I wish I could’ve broke free.”

Rookies like Sinnott and Daniels got their first taste of NFL action against the Jets, but Quinn noted that the youngest players aren’t the only ones who benefit from preseason games and the subsequent tape study.

The build-up to this season’s Sept. 8 opener on the road against Tampa Bay has also been valuable for former first-round pick Jamin Davis. The Kentucky product is shifting to a role on the defensive line after starting his career as an off-ball linebacker.

“It was pretty smooth, getting a chance to get my feet wet, learning that initial get-off and hand placement, stuff like that,” Davis said.

Quinn gave the 25-year-old some pointers during the game, but you can only learn so much in the moment, Davis noted. The rest of the progress comes in the film room.

“That’s a crucial part as well,” he said. “You can go out there and do it all day long, but if you can’t physically see what you’re doing wrong, there’s no way you’re going to progress.”

Monday afternoon practice was noticeably shorter than most of the squad’s training camp activities. With several players dealing with injuries and an upcoming trip to Miami, Quinn’s coaching staff is balancing recovery time with the need for practice.

Several rookies — quarterback Sam Hartman, linebacker Jordan Magee, defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton and offensive tackle Brandon Coleman — were held out of team drills as they nursed injuries.

“Just to make sure they’re really right to go,” Quinn said. “[Players] will say, ‘I’ll go tomorrow.’ That’s the attitude you want, but it’s not the best thing. How do we get them ready for the whole thing?”

The next step toward the regular season awaits in Miami this week. The Commanders will head south for a joint practice against the Dolphins on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s preseason game.