Washington Commanders Depth Chart
- NFC East
- Stadium
- Commanders Field
- Head Coach
- Dan Quinn
- Offensive Coordinator
- Kliff Kingsbury
- Defensive Coordinator
- Joe Whitt Jr.
- Special Teams Coach
- Nate Kaczor
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, whom the team selected second overall in last month's NFL Draft, is already making a positive impression during the early days of OTAs. "His football IQ is really high," offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. "He's really well versed in protections." Kingsbury noted that Daniels works very hard, constantly improved on tape in college, and is always working hard to get better. The former LSU signal-caller also drew praise from wide receiver Jahan Dotson, who said, "That's the quarterback I wanted." He added that he's been very impressed by what he has seen from Daniels so far. Overall, there seems to be plenty of positive buzz surrounding Daniels. There's a case to be made that he could be the No. 1 rookie quarterback in fantasy football, putting him over the likes of Caleb Williams and the rest of the class. He should be a top-five pick in rookie drafts and a must-draft name in most redraft formats.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey "lined up outside more than expected" during Day 1 of OTAs on Tuesday, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Washington selected McCaffrey, a product of Rice University, with the 100th overall selection in the third round of April's NFL Draft. McCaffrey impressed in the slot throughout his college career, demonstrating the physicality, athleticism, and ball security skills needed to succeed there at the next level. However, it appears that Washington has different plans or at least wants to explore all their options with the rookie. Perhaps he has impressed the coaching staff enough for them to experiment with him outside. Such positional versatility could allow McCaffrey to carve out a decent role in his first pro season, though he's still off the radar in most redraft leagues. For dynasty purposes, he's a fringe top-25 rookie heading into the 2024 campaign.
Washington Commanders second-round defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (foot) had successful surgery on his Jones fracture on Tuesday in New York City, according to sources. The surgery was done by Dr. O'Malley, and Washington is optimistic that Newton will make a full recovery before his rookie season this fall. Newton has now had surgery on both of his feet for Jones fractures. It's not a great start in his first NFL offseason, but the 21-year-old defensive tackle will have a chance to make an impact in his first year in the league as long as he can stay on the field this fall. If not for his foot injury, Newton may have been a first-round consideration, but he ultimately fell to the Commanders at pick No. 36. If he puts his foot injuries behind him, Newton could be a steal in the trenches of Washington's D-line.
Veteran free-agent wide receiver Martavis Bryant is scheduled to work out for the Washington Commanders on Wednesday, according to a source. Bryant was released last week by the Dallas Cowboys, whose former defensive coordinator is now the head coach for the Commanders. The former fourth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014 out of Clemson has had his NFL career ruined by off-the-field issues that have led to suspensions, and he hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2018 with the Raiders. The 32-year-old would merely serve as receiver depth heading into training camp and the postseason in Washington behind the likes of Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, rookie Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and others if he were to sign with the Commanders. In four NFL seasons, Bryant has caught 145 passes for 2,183 yards and 17 touchdowns in 44 games (18 starts).
The Washington Commanders released quarterback Jake Fromm on Tuesday, according to NFL.com. The former Georgia Bulldog was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills and spent the last two seasons with Washington after a brief stint with the New York Giants. Despite being in the league for four seasons, he has thrown just 60 passes, completing 27 of them for 210 yards and one touchdown to go along with three interceptions. The Commanders signed Marcus Mariota this offseason and added rookies Jayden Daniels and Sam Hartman to their quarterback room, so Fromm became expendable. The 25-year-old is unlikely to earn playing time anytime soon barring a slew of injuries around the NFL.