Quan Martin - Commanders DB
There is no doubt that Quan Martin lost his spark last season. Bigger expectations were placed on his shoulders, and he crumbled under the pressure. Whether it was his lack of positional sense, poor tackling, or diminished confidence, it was a major disappointment that left his future in doubt.
Daronte Jones was not willing to throw in the towel. He still sees Martin as a player who can be impactful within his creative defensive concepts, and fans got a slight window into what that might look like over OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
It seems as if the Commanders could be thinking about moving Martin back to the nickel cornerback role. It's where Ron Rivera used him as a rookie with great success, and the 2023 second-round pick has the athletic traits to make a much better go of things here than on the back end.
This is a sink-or-swim situation for Martin. If he cannot raise optimism this summer, there might be no way back for the Illinois product.
Van Jefferson Jr. - Commanders WR
The Commanders' wide receiver dynamic will be a must-watch for fans over training camp. Terry McLaurin's status is assured, but everything after that is extremely uncertain.
There are several young hopefuls looking to stake stronger claims. Speculation remains high about another dependable veteran presence joining the fold at some stage, but those in power are high on the options available as well.
Nothing much is expected of Van Jefferson Jr. The savvy veteran was seen as past his peak and someone who could eventually become a camp body as others take center stage. However, his strong performances during Washington's offseason workout program give him a fighting chance to exceed initial expectations.
Jefferson's production has dipped in recent seasons, and he wasn't brought back by the Tennessee Titans. The door is closing on becoming a focal point, but he could be a serviceable complementary piece for Washington's offense with a strong summer.
Jake Moody - Commanders PK
The Commanders need to find a long-term solution to their kicking woes. It's been a long time since Washington had a consistent presence in this critical area of the field, and Adam Peters has yet to find the right answers.
A fierce competition is well underway between veteran Jake Moody and undrafted rookie Drew Stevens for the No. 1 job. Dan Quinn has already said it will go right through the preseason before a victor is crowned, and although the Ohio State product may have a slight edge right now, the first-year pro has also made a strong start this offseason.
Moody was signed off the Chicago Bears' practice squad last season when the Matt Gay experiment was cut short. He was inconsistent, but Peters gave him another chance to see if a full offseason could bring more out of the 2022 third-round pick. Capitalizing on it is critical.
He's responded well to the challenge so far. But Moody's fate this summer is still hanging in the balance.
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