Winner No. 4
Odafe Oweh - Commanders OLB
The Washington Commanders bet big on edge rusher Odafe Oweh this offseason, giving him a four-year, $96 million deal with a $26 million signing bonus and $68 million guaranteed. This was the marquee addition that Adam Peters believes can take things up a notch within Daronte Jones' schematic concepts, and the 2021 first-round pick looks as advertised so far.
While the pads haven't come on yet, the explosiveness off the snap has already been felt. Oweh has gone up against prolific left tackle Laremy Tunsil a lot throughout the opening exchanges of training camp, and he has more than held his own. The speed coming off the edge is night and day compared to last season, which is precisely what the Commanders wanted to see.
Oweh is looking to evolve from a rotational pass-rusher to a genuine three-down threat in Washington. He has all the tools required to achieve this objective, and the Commanders are counting on him heavily to build on this positive early momentum.
Loser No. 2
Commanders backup centers
With Nick Allegretti dealing with a strained calf suffered on the first day of practice, his absence gave Washington's other centers a chance to stake a claim. Unfortunately, they haven't quite met the required standards.
Julian Good-Jones was the man tasked with replacing Allegretti with the first-string unit initially. He's one of the hardest workers around, but reporters in attendance noted a drop-off in production. The Commanders also have sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin, who is being treated as a development project so far.
The Commanders are also experimenting with Brandon Coleman as the offensive line's anchor, which is another option. But the quiet signing of Trey Hill indicates the coaching staff has a slight concern until Allegretti is available again.
Dan Quinn didn't seem overly worried about Allegretti's outlook, but he's expected to miss some more time. Being cautious is the desired approach, because the Commanders cannot afford him to miss any games when the regular season commences.
Winner No. 5
Commanders defensive front
With the Commanders switching to a 3-4 base defensive front under Daronte Jones, their success will be predicated on the trenches. And it already looks like this change is going to bring significant rewards.
Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and free-agent signing Tim Settle Jr. are starting as expected, with Johnny Newton occupying a key rotational role. All four have caught the eye over the first week of camp, causing untold problems to an offensive line still trying to work some things out on the interior.
Payne is in a contract year, which has brought an extra sense of urgency. Kinlaw is aiming to bounce back after a disappointing season, and Settle is looking to maximize his second chance in Washington. Head coach Dan Quinn is also expecting big things from Newton in Year 3 of his professional career.
If this quartet can stay on the field and off the injury list, they are going to be a problem.
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