What were some critical observations from the Washington Commanders' tenth official training camp practice ahead of the 2023 season?
There aren't many more training camp practices for the Washington Commanders to hone their skills before preseason games arrive. Ron Rivera and his staff will have gained plenty from what they've seen so far, with joint sessions against the Baltimore Ravens also set to play a significant role in evaluations before final cuts.
Sunday's session was closed to fans but saw the Commanders get the pads on following a well-deserved day off. The tempo was high and the energy is where it needs to be, which will stand them in good stead heading into the final few days.
On this topic, here are four critical observations from practice No. 10 from Washington's training camp in Ashburn, Virginia.
Commanders learning lessons
After things threatened to boil over during Friday's session, some harsh words were shared between players and coaches alike. Something that seems to have had the desired effect based on the more controlled nature of this practice according to those in attendance.
The aggression was still there, but it was handled correctly rather than taking cheap shots. The Washington Commanders players on both sides of the football were also respectful to their teammates above all else, which was not the case for some before their day off.
This ability to take on information and learn from mistakes is what this time of year at training camp is for. Ron Rivera cannot afford to oversee a squad lacking discipline next season, especially when one considers how much is at stake for the head coach and many others across the franchise with new ownership watching on intently.
Commanders injury concerns
One of the most important elements of training camp besides improving as a collective unit centers on avoiding the injury bug. We've seen plenty of high-profile players go down around the league even before joint practices begin, so the situation is precarious for the Washington Commanders with improvements needed in 2023.
Things started well enough for the Commanders, but the last few days have seen some concerns rise. Logan Thomas has sat out - which would be a disaster if this occurred during the regular season - with offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles' calf injury also causing the player to lose his starting gig to Chris Paul at the left guard spot as things stand.
Rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes did some work on Sunday without participating in team scrimmages. Cody Barton was back in the groove, but do-it-all wide receiver Curtis Samuel got held out after feeling some tightness according to head coach Ron Rivera.
If the Commanders want to attain postseason football within a highly competitive NFC East next season, they need everyone fit and firing on all cylinders. Erring on the side of caution with their top guys is absolutely essential at this juncture and how much preseason time they see before Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals will be a hot topic of discussion in the weeks ahead.
The Commanders find themselves in a fine-line situation next season. Therefore, taking unnecessary risks regarding player health is simply not an option.
Better day for Commanders offense
Things couldn't have gone much worse for the Washington Commanders' offense during Friday's horror show. Eric Bieniemy and Ron Rivera were demanding a response from their players, which they got to a certain extent during a better session overall.
According to the media in attendance, Washington's offensive line rose to the challenge - especially in the run game where the likes of Chris Paul and Charles Leno Jr. were making an impact. They also more than held their own in pass protection, which hasn't been the case more often than not throughout camp.
Sam Howell also bounced back with a polished display. The quarterback's ability to make quick reads and deliver the football over short to intermediate routes could be a huge asset when the regular season arrives - something that also plays to the strengths of Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Jahan Dotson thanks to their ability to generate yards after the catch.
Howell did throw another pick when Darrick Forrest jumped a route, but that's going to happen. Ron Rivera stated this was a much more pleasurable practice and also praised the situational football success of the offense during a morale-boosting session overall.
There is a lot of hard work ahead and the joint practices should provide a better measuring stick about where the Commanders offense stands right now. But on the other hand, Washington's defense could arguably be the best competition they see all season looking at their strength.
Joey Slye winning Commanders kicking competition?
Joey Slye went from being comfortable to fighting for his roster spot in the blink of an eye. That's all part of the kicking experience and something that couldn't have come as a great shock all things considered.
If the Washington Commanders were looking for a positive response from Slye, they're getting it. The former Virginia Tech star is improving efficiency according to media attendance and currently getting the better of recent signing Michael Badgley for good measure.
Slye needs to keep this up for the remainder of training camp and when his number's called during the preseason. But having an added sense of urgency seems to be doing the trick where the player is concerned up to now.
Just how much this means in the grand scheme of things is the big question. Slye's accuracy came in for criticism last time around and considering how many close games the Commanders are expected to be in next season, they can ill afford more wayward kicking in pursuit of the postseason.
If Ron Rivera does move forward with Slye - which seems to be the general consensus unless something drastic occurs - then it's absolutely critical he starts making the simple kicks that could be the difference between winning and losing. Otherwise, he'll be looking for alternative employment.