3 biggest losers from Commanders OTAs and minicamp

The Washington Commanders have officially put a bow on OTAs and mandatory minicamp. In other words, the next time Ron Rivera’s group takes the field will be for training camp, which will run from July 27-Aug. 18 in Ashburn, Va.

While Terry McLaurin’s contract saga dominated headlines throughout both sets of practices, there was plenty to learn. Roster battles and competition for starting jobs won’t take centerstage until training camp, but OTAs and minicamp offered players the chance to leave a strong impression on the coaching staff.

Though some players took full advantage of the non-padded practices, others unfortunately let the opportunity pass them by. That’s not to say they can’t recover the so-called lost ground, but there’s no arguing these three individuals face an uphill climb when the team returns for training camp.

3 biggest losers from Commanders OTAs and minicamp

3. Jamin Davis

It doesn’t please us to include Jamin Davis as a loser thus far this offseason, but it largely boils down to the fact he split reps with David Mayo alongside locked-in starter Cole Holcomb, who’s expected to start in the MIKE role.

If you remember, this narrative was prevalent during the latter stages of last season. The fact Davis hasn’t separated himself from the 28-year-old Mayo, who’s made just 23 starts over seven seasons as a former fifth-round pick, is concerning.

Luckily for Davis, he’ll get plenty of reps during training camp to put a stranglehold on this apparent competition for the starting spot opposite Holcomb. The 2021 first-rounder addressed the media before the end of minicamp and highlighted the fact he’s playing with more confidence after his rookie year.

"“[I’m] way more confident. I feel more like myself. Me and Cole [Holcomb] were actually just talking about that in the locker room: just getting the chance to be out there and really play your own game out there, really just putting last year behind you and going out there and doing your thing.”"

It didn’t quite look that way during camp, though it’s possible the coaching staff is making Davis prove himself after a lackluster rookie campaign. Perhaps that can explain why he rotated regularly with Mayo on the first-team defense.