Tre Hawkins III - Commanders CB
The Washington Commanders have their top three cornerback spots locked up. Trey Amos, Mike Sainristil, and Amik Robertson will lead the way, but there are a couple of openings up for grabs behind them.
There is a chance general manager Adam Peters adds to the unit at some stage. The Commanders also believe an improved front seven can make things easier for the entire secondary within Daronte Jones' creative scheme concepts.
Tre Hawkins III improved his chances of making the 53-man roster at minicamp. Those in attendance noted how sticky the physically imposing figure was in coverage. He made some outstanding plays on the ball, looking comfortable in the system and growing in stature along the way.
It'll be interesting to see where Hawkins fits in when training camp rolls around. The Commanders could give him some reps with the first-string, but anything less isn't going to bode well for his roster aspirations.
Athan Kaliakmanis - Commanders QB
Quarterback Jayden Daniels will lead the charge. Marcus Mariota will back him up. But after last season's injury problems, Adam Peters wasn't going to leave anything to chance.
The Commanders caused a stir by taking Athan Kaliakmanis in the seventh round. He was largely inaccurate before demonstrating encouraging strides during his final college campaign at Rutgers. Expecting miracles right away is unrealistic, but the rookie looks to be ahead of Sam Hartman in the battle for QB3 so far.
Kaliakmanis and Hartman got the lion's share of reps in team drills at minicamp. Dan Quinn wanted to get a good look at the fringe players before the established stars take center stage at training camp. Both had good days, but the first-year pro's consistency was far better.
This is a positive step for Kaliakmanis. Even so, watching how he performs in the preseason will be much more telling.
Jaden Bradley - Commanders WR
Speculation remains high that the Commanders will add to their wide receiver room before the 2026 season. This seems almost inevitable, with Brandon Aiyuk being the hottest name linked. However, one cannot help but be impressed by the way Jaden Bradley has gone about his business so far.
Bradley came in as an undrafted free agent. He's made a seamless transition, which hasn't gone unnoticed by some established figures in the building. Head coach Dan Quinn singled him out for praise, and fellow wide receiver Terry McLaurin has already taken him under his wing.
Making the squad will be difficult for Bradley, but he's given himself a fighting chance. Getting noticed over the early workouts was just the start. Now, it's about building on this positive momentum and capitalizing on every opportunity presented over training camp and the preseason.
The practice squad may be Bradley's eventual destination, but don't count him out just yet.
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