10 Commanders draft picks under threat at 2024 training camp

Braeden Daniels - Commanders OL

• No. 118 overall | 2023 NFL Draft

Everyone knew the Washington Commanders needed to address the offensive line in the 2023 NFL Draft. They chose to focus on the defensive backfield with their first two picks and then selected linemen in the third and fourth rounds.

Braeden Daniels, an offensive tackle out of Utah, was taken with the No. 118 overall selection. This was swiftly followed by a turbulent transition to the professional ranks.

Expecting any fourth-round pick to make an immediate impact in the NFL is unreasonable. When you are talking about a left tackle, one of the most difficult positions on the field, the transition is even harder. But what made the Daniels pick especially disconcerting were the early reports that the rookie simply wasn’t physically up to the challenges of playing on the edge.

This wouldn’t have been the first time Washington drafted a college tackle and upon consideration, decided he was better suited to play inside. It happened with Brandon Scherff. It happened with Saahdiq Charles. It happened with Sam Cosmi. Daniels seemed to be the latest in a long line.

Daniels didn’t get a chance during his rookie season. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve before Week 1 with a rotator cuff injury. Washington currently seems confident in starting guards Nick Allegretti and Cosmi. They also have Michael Deiter, Chris Paul, and Ricky Stromberg among a group competing for backup spots.

If Daniels does not show any ability to play tackle, there may not be room for him on the roster.

Christian Holmes - Commanders CB

• No. 240 overall | 2022 NFL Draft

The Washington Commanders need all the help they can get at cornerback. Therefore, the door should be wide open for any player who can impress during training camp. That includes Christian Holmes, who flashed a bit of potential in a late-season game against the San Francisco 49ers last year before going down with an injury.

Holmes has been a steady performer on special teams during his first two seasons but has barely seen the field as a cornerback. His defensive snap counts dropped from around 100 during his rookie year to fewer than 50 last season.

The new staff has signed a group of veteran cornerbacks, all of whom can also play special teams. Holmes has a major uphill climb on his hands to impose himself once again.

He appears to be behind projected starters Benjamin St-Juste, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., and Mike Sainristil. Tariq Castro-Fields, Michael Davis, James Pierre, and Noah Igbinoghene could also be preferred when push comes to shove.

Cornerbacks get hurt all the time, so backups are always in demand. If he fails to make the final roster, Holmes has a decent shot of sticking on the practice squad, but even that is far from a given.

The Commanders have a lot of bodies currently competing for corner spots. Holmes must make every rep count over Washington's camp to cement his status.