3 winners (and 2 losers) from Commanders 2024 training camp Week 1
By Dean Jones
It's been an intriguing start to training camp for the Washington Commanders. Optimism is higher than it's been in a decade or more after wholesale changes under the new regime. Building on this surge in positivity is the primary objective for Dan Quinn and his staff before their Week 1 contest at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Nobody is expecting things to be perfect right away. There are many new faces to mold into a cohesive unit. Washington's schematic concepts in all three phases look much different. A bedding-in period was always going to be necessary, but it's been an encouraging opening with plenty of positives along the way.
Quinn has high standards and isn't afraid to let his players know when they aren't being met. There is a vibrancy emanating from camp that's hard to ignore. Having fans in attendance for Sunday's session lent further weight to the collective enthusiasm developed in a relatively short space of time since the 2023 season concluded.
With that being said, here are three winners and two losers from Week 1 of Washington's training camp in 2024.
Winners and losers from Commanders 2024 training camp Week 1
Winner No. 1
Tariq Castro-Fields - Commanders CB
Opportunity knocks for those who display the right commitment and high performance levels. This is especially evident within the cornerback room, which comes with some genuine concerns heading into the 2024 campaign.
The Washington Commanders could have a surprise on their hands based on early impressions. Tariq Castro-Fields has the correct size and length Dan Quinn looks for in his cornerbacks. It's also worth remembering that he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers when Adam Peters had an influential say in proceedings.
This is all the momentum Castro-Fields needed to hit the ground running. He's caught the eye consistently over Week 1 of camp. The Commanders even placed the former sixth-round selection out of Penn State with the starting unit during scrimmages to further raise encouragement. Castro-Fields doesn't look out of place whatsoever.
Keeping this up when the pads go on is the next challenge, but his prospects look better now than at any stage during the offseason so far.