What to watch in Commanders' preseason opener vs. Patriots

Washington Post

4 hours ago

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — One year ago, the Washington Commanders' preseason opener carried with it giddy anticipation. Jayden Daniels, the skinny Heisman Trophy winner picked second overall, had not yet worn a Commanders uniform and was still unknown to Washington's fan base. On his first pass, Daniels launched a perfect parabola down the right sideline, and when it landed in Dyami Brown's arms, it felt something like a dream starting to turn real.
Friday night will not provide one of those moments. The Commanders plan to rest Daniels and most of their starters. Anyone who wants to see a top quarterback from the 2024 draft will have to make do with Drake Maye, should New England Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel choose to play his second-year guy.
For the Commanders, their preseason debut will be about down-roster competition, searching for depth and discovering which players stand out in a game setting. It may not be the unveiling of a franchise savior, but it's a football game. Here's what to watch to for.
Given that primary backup quarterback Marcus Mariota has been dealing with what Coach Dan Quinn labeled a 'lower leg strain' for much of training camp and will rest for the next week or so, the competition for the Commanders' third quarterback spot means more than it normally would.
Quarterback snaps will be roughly split between second-year passer Sam Hartman and well-traveled 39-year-old Josh Johnson, who spot-started games for Washington — one of 14 NFL franchises he has spent time with — back in 2018. Johnson is listed above Hartman on Washington's unofficial depth chart, and he received the first reps after Daniels during Wednesday's joint practice with the Patriots.
Johnson makes an impact on a quarterback room with his calm demeanor, experience and knowledge. Hartman's youth and close relationship with Daniels should provide him an edge, but coming off offseason shoulder surgery, Hartman has not seized the role so far.
'It's been up and down,' offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. 'He has all the ability — smart, good footwork, solid arm. Just a couple plays, got to take better care of the football, but you know, he didn't practice much in the spring. With his arm coming back off that shoulder surgery, he's still getting back in the rhythm. But I'm excited to watch him in preseason. He's the guy who has always on game day, the lights are on, he's always played his best.'
Defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton, wideout Luke McCaffrey and tight end Ben Sinnott all provided fleeting contributions as rookies last year. The Commanders have provided them opportunities for increased roles this year. They've all displayed progress in training camp, but none has broken out. They should all receive ample playing time Friday night.
Newton, a 2024 second-rounder slowed by foot injuries as a rookie, could provide interior pass rush with his unusual quickness. The Commanders like to line him up between guards and the center to allow him to shoot gaps.
'We're expecting the guy that we drafted to really show this year,' defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said. 'He was behind the eight ball some because he was dealing with those injuries last year. Knock on wood that he could stay healthy, and we can get the best version of him.'
With tight end Zach Ertz surely sitting out, Friday night should provide a platform for Sinnott. He has progressed in his second training camp but has yet to break out. Quinn has praised him for how much better he has processed coverages, but he hasn't stood out during camp. Sinnott, a second-round pick, caught only five passes as a rookie. With John Bates entrenched because of his blocking, Sinnott needs to hold off Colson Yankoff, a key special teams player, and Cole Turner on the depth chart.
McCaffrey has been one of many wideouts yet to seize on the opportunity Terry McLaurin's contract standoff has provided. Kingsbury said it's been a 'night-and-day' difference for him this year compared with his rookie season in terms of his development as a wideout. That hasn't shown up in receiving production during practice, but he'll have a chance Friday.
Running back may be the most competitive position at Commanders training camp. Kingsbury said he believes six or seven backs could end up on game day rosters this year. Washington kept three on Quinn's initial 53-man roster last season.
Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler are firmly entrenched as co-starters and probably won't play Friday. Coaches love veteran Jeremy McNichols's reliability. Chris Rodriguez is a tough running back with a track record of solid performance, but his skill set is duplicative of Robinson's and McNichols's.
Seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been a breakout player all training camp. He was mostly bottled up during Wednesday's joint practice, and an exchange with Daniels resulted in a fumble. A game setting will reveal Croskey-Merritt's ability to break tackles and contribute on special teams. He should get a lot of snaps Friday night.
It may be an uphill climb for Kazmeir Allen and Demetric Felton to land a roster spot with the Commanders, but both have played well this summer and could use Friday night to showcase themselves for 31 other teams.
Wide receiver Michael Gallup voluntarily sat out last season after six years as a solid contributor in Dallas, a tenure that peaked when he caught 66 passes for 1,107 yards in 2019. Friday night will be his first action in an NFL game since 2023. He has a chance to claim a role, especially if Noah Brown remains unable to shake a nagging injury as the season grows closer.
Kain Medrano, a sixth-round pick out of UCLA, is one of the more intriguing players down the Commanders roster. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Medrano has uncommon speed and length for a linebacker. But he can be overwhelmed by offensive linemen and may ultimately fit as a hybrid safety/linebacker. He has flashed a few times at training camp, and he's a player worth watching because of his unusual skill set. He figures to receive an abundance of snaps.
'Kain is one of those multi-positional players that we're carving out a role for,' Whitt said. 'He's defining it himself. He's doing a better job of covering than he did in the spring on tight ends. He showed a level of physicality. Now, can he consistently do it? That's one thing that we need to see when we go to New England, because we know how they're going to try to be bully ball a little bit. Is he that slash between, like I said, [former Commanders safety] Jeremy Chinn or Frankie [Luvu]? We're still trying to figure that part out.'
Matt Gay is the lone kicker on the Commanders' roster, and after cycling through seven last season, they would prefer to keep it that way. Gay has been steady and drama-free during training camp. If he keeps making kicks, the Commanders won't need to bring in competition.
Rookie fourth-round wideout Jaylin Lane has impressed during training camp and has taken first-team reps at punt returner. Fielding punts in an NFL stadium will be a good test for him. (Deebo Samuel and Ekeler were the first pair of kick returners during the special teams period of Wednesday's joint practice, but neither is expected to play Friday night.)