ASHBURN, Va. — In training camp, when there are no fans and no stats and the scoreboard is only used for keeping time, one of the best ways to determine how practice is going is by listening to and watching the sidelines. Which one — the offense or the defense — is making noise, cheering good plays, congratulating teammates and talking trash aimed across the field? Which one is giving high fives and chest bumps, and which one is trudging off frustrated?
On Day 3 of Washington Commanders training camp, the defense dominated, from Mike Sainristil picking off Jayden Daniels’ first pass of 11-on-11 drills to several more turnovers and plays disrupted.
But if you listened and watched closely, the offense at long last made some noise, even if it took a while. On a fourth-and-1 in a red zone drill, Marcus Mariota floated right and found Ben Sinnott coming open in the end zone, and the second-year tight end made an impressive low touchdown grab, earning the biggest cheers of the day from the offensive side of the ball. Minutes later, Luke McCaffrey outfought second-round rookie cornerback Trey Amos for a strong catch on an in-breaking route, and chants of “Luuuuuke” arrived.
They weren’t as loud as the defense had been much of the sweltering morning, but they were something. And for a team looking for pass catchers to step up with Terry McLaurin’s contentious holdout continuing, those small victories are worth monitoring.
To be fair, the Commanders would be looking for pass catchers to step up regardless of McLaurin’s contract status, but his holdout only adds to the focus on the position. The Commanders acquired Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, but he’s more of a chess piece than a traditional wide receiver, someone at his best when he’s given the ball early and allowed to run with it.
“He’s always had a great joy about him, and it seems as good as it’s ever been in terms of his love for being around football, playing football, being around his teammates and being on the football field,” general manager Adam Peters, who was with Samuel in San Francisco, said ahead of training camp. “And it was almost enhanced this spring, just the way maybe he’s … being in a new offense and having new challenges. He seems like he’s really revitalized, and he’s been an awesome teammate and he’s really working his tail off to be in excellent shape.”
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A revitalized Samuel will be a boon for Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, one that tied for the fifth-most screen completions last season but ranked just 26th in yards per reception and 25th in yards after the catch per reception on those plays.
“A guy like Deebo, you can really do whatever you want with him as a chess piece,” Zach Ertz said. “So, I think he’s going to be a huge piece of our offense, really excited to see him going, especially when you get the pads on. I know you can feel his physicality without pads on, but I know he is going to take it to another level when we get the ball in his hands in the games or preseason games or practice.”
Ertz is one of several veterans who return after greatly exceeding expectations last season. The same goes for Noah Brown, who Washington signed after the Texans cut him on 53-man roster deadline day. He contributed 35 catches in just nine games and drew more yardage on pass interference penalties than anyone in the NFL other than Justin Jefferson.
“You’ve gotta be hard to guard,” Brown said. “People hold onto you when you’re about to win, so just playing fast and being confident in my routes, and I think that I’ll either get the chance or the penalty.”
Also rotating in among the starters were Chris Moore and Michael Gallup, both of whom hope to be the next under-the-radar free agents who find a way to contribute in 2025 after winding paths.
Moore, who signed with Washington’s practice squad late last year, is on his fourth team in as many seasons. Gallup retired ahead of training camp last year but came out of retirement and sign with Washington in March. He had a couple of nice moments Thursday.
“He can really extend to go get the ball,” coach Dan Quinn said. “There’s one of the things he’s known for is deep ball and on the sideline being able to use that length and extension. He’s got great energy about him and just getting back into the flow of it with a new system also. It was good to have him through the offseason to get himself prepared to really come and do his thing.”
This year’s fourth-round pick, the explosive Jaylin Lane, may also be counted on.
The situation sans McLaurin is not unlike last year, when Washington surprisingly traded 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson to the Eagles midway through training camp. That meant Olamide Zaccheaus producing a career-high 45 catches, Dyami Brown nabbing 30 passes, more than his first three seasons combined, and Noah Brown playing a key role as a deep threat.
Zaccheaus (Bears) and Brown (Jaguars) departed in free agency. Brown has played in just 22 of a possible 39 games (including playoffs) over the past two seasons. More reinforcements are needed.
This year’s receiver unit will likely have a similar composition, though: a mix of veterans who may have been written off elsewhere and some youngsters the Quinn/Peters regime has added.
“I love that we scout and pick players for us, not for the NFL: What fits us?” Quinn said. “And there’s a culture element to that as well. We’re not for everybody, but for the guys that, man, love ball, love competing, this is the type of environment that you could really thrive in.”
Washington had six top-100 picks last year, and four — Daniels, Sainristil, defensive lineman Johnny Newton and offensive lineman Brandon Coleman — played big roles. Whether Sinnott and/or McCaffrey can join their draft classmates as key contributors will be crucial. Sinnott earned praise from Quinn during minicamp, and McCaffrey, who started his collegiate career as a quarterback, feels his first full professional offseason has come with plenty of benefits.
“It was nice not having to prep for a bunch of stuff and the draft cycle, so [I] really got to hone in on the weight room and the speed training,” McCaffrey said. “It’s nice when you know the playbook, and you know the rhythm of everything, and you’re not having to do extra work on that, so you can really hone in on your body and your skills.”
For now, it’s still early. Training camp is about competition as teams winnow down their rosters, and the Commanders are hoping their pass catchers, young, old, counted out and under-the-radar alike, continue to compete — and make a little noise — as the season draws nearer.