NFL coaches aren’t allowed to subject their players to the grueling two-a-day workouts that were once commonplace during training camp. But Commanders coach Dan Quinn promised that his camp would be demanding, challenging and “fun as hell” when it begins Wednesday.
“Having fun and working really hard, those two things should be synonymous,” Quinn said Tuesday at the team’s practice facility in Ashburn.
Training camp begins Wednesday morning for the Commanders who boast a new coach, a new general manager, and a revamped roster with dozens of new players.
For the next four weeks, the Commanders will practice with 90 players of varying experience levels as they rev up for the regular season.
Undrafted free agents and journeymen will look to stand out on the practice field, assembling enough tape to earn a spot at the bottom of the roster.
Meanwhile, returning veterans and big-money free-agent acquisitions will continue easing into their roles with the team. Defensive tackle Jon Allen, wide receiver Terry McLaurin and linebacker Bobby Wagner don’t have anything to prove as they boast a combined 12 Pro Bowl appearances.
But even the established leaders need to master the playbook and build chemistry with their new teammates.
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has already secured his spot on the roster. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 pick in this year’s draft is considered the future of the franchise for the Commanders, the engine that will push the rebuild forward.
While his roster spot is safe, Quinn has not named Daniels as the starter. The LSU product will split repetitions with veteran signal-caller Marcus Mariota to start camp. The rookie still has to earn the starting job.
“It’s not a secret but it is a journey and a process. So, as we’re going, when he’s ready, we will know. And when he’s ready, he’ll also know,” Quinn said. “So, through practices, through scrimmages and preseason games all the way down, that’s where the journey will take us.”
Daniels is expected to lead a rebuild that began in earnest this spring. In his first full offseason, Commanders owner Josh Harris hired Quinn and general manager Adam Peters to lead the franchise into the future.
Peters had a busy spring, adding dozens of players through free agency and the NFL draft as Washington led the NFL in roster turnover. When the Commanders take the field for their first training camp practice, they’ll hardly resemble the squad that finished with a 4-13 record in 2023.
“We brought in a type of player we thought, as much as we can, that are Commanders. … So, we’re thrilled about the 90 guys we have here,” Peters said. “[Quinn] preaches competition every day, so we’re always going to look at ways to improve the roster, but as it sits now, we feel great about the guys we have.”
The overhaul extended beyond the roster of players. Peters and Quinn have welcomed a remade front office and coaching staff to coincide with the fresh faces on the field.
Washington’s new coach said he understands the importance of first impressions with his new group.
“So, knowing that there’s some new connections and new people here, those relationships to start them is good. … You only get one first shot with a whole new group,” he said. “We’re not going to miss that shot.”
Quinn and Peters haven’t shared any concrete goals for their first season with the new group. They’ve avoided win totals and playoff predictions, instead opting for more subjective benchmarks.
“We want to start off and make sure our identity, and who we are and how we play, that has to come along strong,” the coach said. “If you get that first and get that right, that’s when a lot of the success will follow. But you can’t put the record before you have the identity and who you are.”
The Commanders have six weeks to establish that identity before the regular season begins Sept. 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Quinn has the end of training camp — and that regular-season opener — in his crosshairs. The long-time coach noted that he’s visualized what he wants the team to look like next month and is working backward from there.
“This camp will be challenging, it’ll be demanding and it’s also going to be fun as hell,” he said. “This is where we start writing the chapter of what this 2024 Commanders team will be about. Let’s get it rolling.”
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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