The Washington Commanders are putting players through their paces at organized team activities. Head coach Dan Quinn and his staff have already raised the tempo to levels typically associated with training camp. And the players have responded accordingly.
There is a real urgency to put things right after last season's catastrophe. One can blame all the injury problems, which no doubt held the Commanders back. At the same time, complacency became an issue, and everyone got a little bit ahead of themselves after a miraculous run to the NFC Championship game.
The Commanders are looking to silence their doubters. OTAs are only the first legitimate stage of the process, but the tone has already been set. The slate has been wiped clean, and everyone is looking to prove themselves all over again. And for a select few, there is already a strong case for prominent involvement before the challenges get tougher over the summer.
With this in mind, here are eight Commanders players whose stock is soaring at the best possible time.
Washington Commanders players whose stock is skyrocketing at OTAs
Jake Moody - Commanders PK
Veteran kicker Jake Moody did enough for another one-year deal this offseason. However, the Washington Commanders are going to push him all the way in pursuit of securing the No. 1 job once again.
The Commanders brought undrafted free agent Drew Stevens into the mix. It was initially an invite to Washington's rookie minicamp, but that quickly changed when other teams showed interest. Dan Quinn stated that it will be a genuine competition over the summer, and Moody has responded positively so far.
While it's too close to call right now, Moody has already proven that he will not go down without a fight. And this is precisely the sort of response Washington was looking for.
Quan Martin - Commanders DB
Nothing much went right for Quan Martin last season. Fans and analysts expected a breakout campaign from the defensive back in 2025, but it didn't go well. The 2023 second-round pick struggled to find the consistency needed, and his self-confidence notably diminished. In the end, the Commanders took him out of the firing line.
Martin's future was clouded this offseason. The Commanders kept faith, and the introduction of new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones brings hope that he can bounce back.
According to those who attended OTAs, Martin has been spending a lot of time in the nickel. This is a role he adopted as a rookie and performed well. It wasn't the same on the back end, so getting back to basics is clearly bringing more out of the player in a contract year.
