4 critical observations from Commanders 2023 OTAs Day 3
By Dean Jones
What were some critical observations from the third day of Washington Commanders' organized team activities ahead of the 2023 campaign?
Thursday saw the final scheduled session of the Washington Commanders' first slate of OTAs. There will be two more slots before the team congregates for their mandatory minicamp on June 6, which is set to be the first time fans get to see Chase Young, Montez Sweat, and Charles Leno Jr. after they all opted to skip the voluntary practices.
Ron Rivera didn't seem all that bothered by the aforementioned trio staying away. The head coach revealed that he'd like to have everyone around in an ideal world, but he's been in contact and is confident they'll be ready to go when asked.
It's been interesting to see things unfolding during the opening exchanges. Washington needs everything to go right this offseason, but a season-ending injury to promising tight end Armani Rogers was a stark reminder that disaster can strike at any moment.
With that being said, here are four critical observations from Day 3 of Commanders OTAs ahead of the 2023 season.
Commanders had plenty of veterans missing
After two relatively positive days of practice, Ron Rivera gave plenty of established figures within the locker room a day off on Thursday. This provided the coaching staff with an opportunity to examine those further down the pecking order in greater detail and keep veterans fresh ahead of next week's sessions.
Losing Armani Rogers for the season with a ruptured Achilles was a bitter blow considering how high hopes were for a breakout campaign from the dynamic tight end. Others such as Jamin Davis are also working their way back from complications, so shutting down the large majority of those guaranteed starting spots next season was a wise call in the circumstances.