3 winners (and 2 losers) from Commanders 2024 minicamp

Three members of the Washington Commanders can count themselves winners of the team's mandatory minicamp this year. They include versatile defensive back Quan Martin, who produced a highlight moment amid time spent working with the starters.

More small victories were scored by two high-round draft picks from Washington's recent past. Notably by an often-overlooked wide receiver who's already forged a credible rapport with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Perhaps said wideout is finally equipped to unleash his obvious potential as a vertical threat. It's a different story for one member of the Commanders' defense, a former first-round pick who is being asked to carve out a niche in an exciting new role.

While this first-rounder is happy to reinvent himself, another prominent draftee may not warm to broadening his workload. With that said, here are three winners and two losers from Washington's mandatory minicamp in 2024.

Winner No. 1

Dyami Brown - Commanders WR

Seeing the Washington Commanders sign two free agents and use a third-round pick to add to his position couldn't have made Dyami Brown too happy. Not when the third-rounder from the 2021 NFL Draft hardly made his mark as a pro-level playmaker.

Brown is working to make amends. At least based on his performances during Washington's mandatory minicamp. The wideout's best moments involved reeling in deep passes from Jayden Daniels.

What's more encouraging is how Brown has been a fixture during all offseason work. Even the voluntary sessions.

Like when the former North Carolina standout made this grab and produced a notable balancing act that left Sam Fortier of The Washington Post impressed.

Fortunately, Brown took his momentum into mandatory sessions. His ongoing connection with Daniels was outlined by ESPN's John Keim after practice:

"On Tuesday, Daniels scanned the field and with no one open ran to his right, hitting receiver Dyami Brown running across the field in the other direction with a perfect pass. Another time, he ran out of the pocket to his right -- in a game, he might have been sacked -- and hit Brown again on a 45-yard pass in stride."

John Keim, ESPN

Reviving and maintaining that rapport at training camp will be crucial to Brown's chances of earning a larger workload. Daniels' arrival has given every receiver a clean slate, so a player with his natural straight-line speed could easily go from forgotten man to key weapon.

He's made a good start, but a former Los Angeles Rams kicker wasn't quite so consistent.

Loser No. 1

Lucas Havrisik

Fortunes can change quickly during minicamp. Just ask Lucas Havrisik.

He appeared to be booting his way to the front of the queue for the right to fill the void left by Brandon McManus at kicker. That is until Havrisik got his radar all wrong on the final day.

His last chance to impress coaches became a litany of missed opportunities. Sam Fortier from The Washington Post detailed the kicker's rough parting practice:

"Lucas Havrisik, on the other hand, followed up his perfect Wednesday by missing two of his four attempts. He hooked a 33-yarder wide left and doinked the left goal post from about 50 yards. One of his intermediate attempts appeared to just sneak inside the left upright."

Sam Foriter, Washington Post

It was quite the about-turn from Havrisik, who had kicked a perfect game during the first session of the mandatory minicamp. His streak of six successful conversions included one where heckling players attempted to shatter his focus to no avail.

Havrisik building on his six-for-six streak would have solved an underrated problem for the Commanders. The legal situation involving McManus, who's facing allegations of sexual assault, prompted the Washington Commanders to make a change.

So far, the process has been anything but smooth, with Havrisik failing to make the job his own. Perhaps Ramiz Ahmed will build on his flawless day of putting his laces into the ball and emerge as the kicker of choice.

The USFL record holder has the leg strength for the role. But special teams coordinator Larry Izzo will surely want to see Ahmed pushed by more consistent competition at training camp.

While uncertainty reigns in the kicking game, the Commanders are starting to get a clearer picture about who could become a force in the secondary.

Winner No. 2

Quan Martin - Commanders DB

It would be understandable to sum up Quan Martin's impressive minicamp with one moment. This scarcely believable and physics defying interception.

Yet, as impressive as it was, focusing on this particular mix of circus-like juggling and acrobatics alone, would mean shortchanging the more subtle, overall progress Martin has made.

His progress included spending most of his time with Jeremy Chinn as starting safeties. The former second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers is a viable breakout candidate in head coach Dan Quinn's schemes as a hybrid linebacker and defensive back. But Martin's upside shouldn't be understated.

Not when he's capable of playing outside cornerback, in the slot, or even as a box safety. Zeroing in on a specific role should still be on Martin's to-do list, but his knack for getting his hands on the ball is exciting, no matter where he lines up.

Martin snatched a pair of interceptions and broke up four passes as a rookie, despite playing on a defense beset by uncertainty at both the schematic and personnel levels. The arrival of Quinn and coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. means the Commanders are streamlining what was an overly complex unit under predecessors Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio.

Neither Quinn nor Whitt are afraid to move players around. However, the remit remains straightforward. Swarm to the ball and force takeaways.

A more aggressive scheme is good news for a natural ball hawk like Martin. So is a deeper defensive line group Quinn will freely rotate onto the field to put heat on the pocket in waves. More pressure up front, allied with increased opportunism on the backend, is a combination for strong defense that never goes out of fashion.

Martin is already playing his way into fulfilling one part of the combination. He's also making it easier to forget about losing Kamren Curl in free agency.

Although Martin's delivering, it's becoming increasingly difficult to overlook the struggles faced by another prominent member of Washington's secondary.

Loser No. 2

Emmanuel Forbes - Commanders CB

The Washington Commanders selected Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft to be a shutdown cornerback. Things didn't work out as planned once the 180-pound player was roughed up by bigger-bodied NFL wide receivers.

His first-year struggles put a spotlight on Forbes entering camp. Sadly, the 23-year-old hasn't turned heads as a more game and physical scrapper this offseason.

Instead, Forbes is still garnering attention for the wrong reasons. Specifically, a photo taken at his youth football camp and featuring the player prompted more negative reactions about Forbes' slight frame on social media.

The physicality issue is not just some pesky narrative for Forbes to shake. It's a genuine concern now Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. are running the defense.

Quinn has traditionally favored big corners who can play press and handle the demands of man coverage. Forbes seems ill-equipped for the role, but there is no shortage of alternatives after the Commanders signed Michael Davis and Noah Igbinoghene in free agency. They also used a second-round pick to draft Mike Sainristil.

This trio joining towering Benjamin St-Juste could leave Forbes scrambling for new ways to prove his worth. Perhaps that's why the Commanders have been trying him as a punt returner during mandatory practices. 7News DC's Scott Abraham observed the defensive back taking part in this "fun" routine.

More freedom to use the open-field skills that helped him return six interceptions for touchdowns at the collegiate level could salvage Forbes' career. If it doesn't work, the player's losing streak will continue and keep him on the sideline for both defensive and special teams duties.

There's a way back for Forbes, but embracing a new role might be easier than bulking up and altering his play style. Making the most of a change is working for another first-round disappointment.

Winner No. 3

Jamin Davis - Commanders LB

The Washington Commanders didn't pick up Jamin Davis' fifth-year option because he hasn't lived up to the billing as a No. 19 overall pick. The linebacker hasn't made the grade as an every-down, three-dimensional force at the defensive second level, but the new staff still sees a way to salvage the 25-year-old's raw potential.

It's a plan based on turning Davis loose as a pass-rusher. This isn't just about unleashing him off the edge. Still, it helps that the former Kentucky star looked comfortable throughout the Commanders' mandatory minicamp camp - whether as a standup outside linebacker or when putting his hand on the ground as a traditional defensive end.

There's an obvious parallel here with what Dan Quinn did to utilize Micah Parsons in Dallas. He went from inside linebacker to seek-and-destroy quarterback hunter on the coach's watch with great success.

While the transition owed a lot to Parsons' dynamic athleticism, another key was the roving nature of his role. Quinn schemed ways for him to move anywhere across the front and pick the optimum gaps to attack.

Being a mobile menace should also inspire a bump in Davis' production. He has the takeoff speed and downhill tenacity to be a regular disruptor along the line of scrimmage.

The fact that the Commanders committed to the experiment showed that this was more than just a what-if. Or mere lip service dedicated to doing something, anything to justify the franchise's original investment in Davis.

If nothing else, Davis and Emmanuel Forbes working out of position has shown Quinn and his assistants are more willing to be creative with personnel than the previous regime. Hopefully, there'll be further out-of-the-box thinking at training camp.