Colson Yankoff - Commanders TE
The Washington Commanders are expected to make more use of the tight end position with offensive coordinator David Blough now leading the unit. Zach Ertz may no longer be around, but there is quiet confidence that the options available can step up and become big pieces of the puzzle.
While Colson Yankoff might be pretty low down the pecking order, the flashes being displayed over the early stages of camp are giving his chances of involvement a major shot in the arm. The 2024 undrafted free agent has made the roster over the last two seasons and remains a key asset on special teams. However, he's doing everything possible for something more this time around.
According to those in attendance, Yankoff came up with the day's best catch, bringing the football in superbly and holding onto the catch despite a tough fall to the ground. That might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it's the finer details that show development in the UCLA product's ability as a pass-catcher.
Chig Okonkwo, John Bates, and maybe even Ben Sinnott would be ahead of Yankoff in the pecking order right now. But in terms of securing a place on the 53-man roster, he's got a tremendous chance if these standards are maintained.
Daron Payne - Commanders DL
As previously mentioned, the Commanders' defense has set an early tone over the first two days of training camp. Washington is running primarily red-zone situations right now, and the effort from Daronte Jones' new-look 3-4 defensive front has caught the eye of reporters watching on.
It also seems as if contract-year Daron Payne is back.
The team's longest-serving defensive player had uncertainty around his future this offseason. General manager Adam Peters shut that down quickly, proclaiming Payne as part of the team's short-term plans while not offering him another lucrative extension ahead of time.
Payne didn't make things difficult. He knows his performance needs to improve to justify another massive financial commitment. The Alabama product has a renewed focus, and it's come across almost from the moment he got into the building this offseason.
Based on reports, Payne and the entire defensive front were generating significant push at the line of scrimmage during team drills. He's the leader everyone looks to for inspiration, and he seems a lot more comfortable in the role now than he did when Jonathan Allen was the alpha in Washington.
Fans know what happened the last time Payne was in a contract year. If he can get anything close to that this season, the Commanders' defensive ceiling is going to soar.
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