What were some critical observations to take from the third day of Washington Commanders' mandatory minicamp practice ahead of the 2023 season?
Another day, another mandatory minicamp practice for the Washington Commanders. There will be one more scheduled session next week before players and staff break for the summer, which signals the end of what's been an encouraging opening to their 2023 preparations all things considered.
The state of the Commanders could look a lot different by the time everyone congregates for training camp in a few weeks. Providing there are no surprises, Josh Harris' ownership group will have full approval from the NFL and the $6.05 billion sale will be confirmed once and for all.
This could free up enough resources for the Commanders to extend some valuable contributors ahead of time. Until then, Ron Rivera and his staff are focusing fully on fine-tuning every intricate detail before their well-deserved period of rest.
With this in mind, here are four critical observations from the third day of Washington's mandatory minicamp.
Commanders moved practice indoors
In an expected move, the Washington Commanders moved practice indoors after the air quality diminished significantly thanks to the potentially toxic fumes emanating from the Canadian wildfires. While it restricted space and made things a little more enclosed, it was better than having no session at all.
This was a fate that befell the New York Giants, who were forced to cancel their planned practice. With the complications set to last for several days yet, it'll be interesting to see what the state of play is when Washington returns for its final OTA before summer break next week.
Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s growth
It was a baptism of fire for Chris Rodgriguez Jr. during his rookie minicamp. The running back looked a little sluggish and bore the brunt of Eric Bieniemy's wrath on numerous occasions, which was obviously the rocket he needed to increase personal standards when the time came to link up with established veterans.
The sixth-round selection has looked much better since. There's a renewed focus and sharpness to his approach, which is exactly the sort of response Bieniemy and the Washington Commanders' staff on offense were looking for.
Rodriguez is seen as a development project behind Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson. Bieniemy saw something in the Kentucky product that he feels could be of use, which is a confidence he's slowly starting to repay as he becomes more comfortable within an NFL setting.
One of the more surprising elements of Rodriguez's production so far has been from a pass-catching standpoint. This was an area that was a relative unknown in college and many didn't believe that the player could ever become a dual-threat weapon at the next level.
His superb catch from Jacoby Brissett working with the second-team offense that resulted in a touchdown might not seem like much, but these things matter to coaches. Rodriguez is gaining some real momentum and hopefully, it's a trend that continue right through the summer.
Percy Butler continues strong Commanders offseason
Releasing Bobby McCain was the clearest sign yet that the Washington Commanders felt comfortable putting more on Percy Butler's plate next season. The one-time Louisiana stud caught the eye during limited reps as a rookie and there could be even more to come with another preparation period to learn and develop under his belt.
Butler could be the third safety option behind Darrick Forrest and Kamren Curl in 2023. Considering how many two-linebacker sets defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio could use next time around, it would be a surprise if the former fourth-round pick didn't get more time on the field as an NFL sophomore.
The defensive back is doing his chances no harm whatsoever throughout the team's mandatory minicamp. One could make a strong case for Butler being one of the most improved performers so far, even though practice sessions are still in their relative infancy.
This is a good start from Butler, but no more than that. Washington has plenty of competition for places with the introduction of Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin into the secondary, so complacency must not become an issue for anyone even at this early stage.
Butler has undeniable talent but remains rough around the edges. The only thing that'll tighten this up is more reps, which the player is likely to receive plenty of in the preseason.
Indifferent day for Commanders QB Sam Howell
It was never going to be all smooth sailing for quarterback Sam Howell this summer. The step up in responsibilities is enormous compared to what the signal-caller had last season, so there were always going to be a few bumps in the road during such a steep transition.
Howell's production was indifferent during Day 3 of the team's mandatory minicamp. Getting picked twice on consecutive plays during red-zone drills wasn't ideal, but the former fifth-round selection ended on a high thanks to an outstanding touchdown throw to tight end Logan Thomas.
When discussing Howell's performance so far, head coach Ron Rivera stated via Zach Selby from Washington Commanders' website that it's a gradual learning curve for the North Carolina product, but he would like to see some footwork issues resolved by the time training camp gets here.
"We know he's young. He's a second-year player who got an opportunity to start last year, but there is a lot of room for growth. We know that, but he's got a good skill set. That's [footwork issues] probably one of the things you always want these young guys to understand how important it is, especially coming from one program to another. You've gotta understand that it's a little bit different. The speed is a little bit different, so we've gotta make sure those things are corrected."Ron Rivera via Commanders.com
Howell is likely to start camp as No. 1 on the quarterback depth chart. However, veteran free-agent signing Jacoby Brissett is breathing down his neck, so he must continue to work hard during his time away from the facility in readiness for some stern upcoming challenges.