Who were the big winners and losers from a fascinating second week at Washington Commanders' training camp before the 2023 season?
Training camp has seemingly gone past in the blink of an eye, for fans at least. The players might not agree, who have been put through their paces during a series of intense sessions by Ron Rivera and his coaching staff in readiness for the 2023 campaign.
The Washington Commanders go into the season with lots at stake. New owners won't want to start their tenure on a sour note, so they'll be watching every move closely to pile the pressure on Rivera and others within the organization.
Washington's staff has a fortnight of tape to study as part of their evaluations. Much will also depend on preseason performance levels and joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens - a team expected to make a strong postseason push after getting star quarterback Lamar Jackson tied down to a long-term deal.
With that being said, here are five winners and losers from Week 2 at Washington's training camp in 2023.
Winner No. 1
Mitchell Tinsley - Commanders WR
Getting noticed in the Washington Commanders wide receiver room is a difficult task for those lower down the pecking order. It seems for all the smart money as if the top-four positions are locked in, with Byron Pringle also expected to secure a roster spot thanks to his previous connection with Eric Bieniemy.
That leaves one or two spots for the rest depending on how many wideouts the Commanders take through onto their roster. However, undrafted free agent Mitchell Tinsley is giving the coaching staff plenty to think about after a phenomenal second week of practice.
The former Western Kentucky and Penn State star is consistently making impressive catches, albeit working with the second-string unit more often than not. Tinsley's put himself in a strong position for preseason involvement, which will be the biggest factor in whether he gets a spot on the 53-man roster or not.
Loser No. 1
Saahdiq Charles - Commanders OL
The Washington Commanders are giving Saahdiq Charles one last chance to prove his worth at training camp. He was initially slotted in as the starting left guard on their revamped offensive line, although Chris Paul was also getting his fair share of reps before head coach Ron Rivera decides on a permanent solution.
That might be made for the head coach by default based on the second week of practice. Charles was seldom seen thanks to a calf issue, which is the latest in a series of frustrating complications suffered by the former fourth-round selection out of LSU since joining the Commanders.
As is normally the case at this time of year, someone's misfortunate represents an opportunity for someone else. Paul's been getting the majority of first-team reps - forming a productive left-handed tandem with Charles Leno Jr. Although things have been difficult against Washington's formidable defensive front, he's done enough to move into pole position.
Charles was spotted working out on the sidelines on Sunday, so his return could be imminent. However, there is now a lot of hard work ahead for a player who's heading into a career crossroads unless there is a dramatic upturn in health and on-field consistency.
The Commanders like Charles. But Rivera has to draw the line somewhere.
Winner No. 2
Benjamin St-Juste - Commanders CB
It was a dominant second week of training camp for the Washington Commanders' defense. The pads came on and once Jack Del Rio's unit was permitted to get a little more physical, they came to life.
This threatened to spill over on Friday during the chippiest session of all thanks in no small part to the offense getting beat down from start to finish. The defensive line was expected to thrive, but the improvements made within Washington's secondary are perhaps coming quicker than many envisaged.
Having two dynamic figures such as Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin helps. However, third-year cornerback Benjamin St-Juste seems to be healthy and growing in stature based on an outstanding series of practices over Week 2.
St-Juste flashed potential shutdown capabilities last season when fit. However, keeping the former third-round selection out of Minnesota on the field has been the biggest complication over his first two seasons with the Commanders.
The length, mirroring wide receivers, and speed to go downfield are right where they need to be. St-Juste also has the physicality to jam wideouts off their routes in press coverage - an area where the Commanders struggled more often than not when Del Rio deployed it last season.
There's been a lot to like about St-Juste's performance levels throughout camp. With Kendall Fuller also around and Forbes looking like a genuine superstar, the Commanders might have a productive cornerback trio if they can avoid the injury bug.
Loser No. 2
Logan Thomas - Commanders TE
There was a level of optimism surrounding Logan Thomas after he got a supreme vote of confidence from the Washington Commanders this offseason. Not adding to their tight end options was a massive gamble all things considered, which only increased the level of dependency on the one remaining veteran in the room heading into Eric Bieniemy's first season as the primary shot-caller.
It was an outstanding start to the preparation period for Thomas. He looked sharp and developed some encouraging chemistry with quarterback Sam Howell, but the same old story emerged last week when the former quarterback once again was forced to the sidelines with a calf problem.
This has seen Cole Turner thrust into the No. 1 role with Curtis Hodges also on the shelf. John Bates remains useful in a blocking capacity, but one cannot ignore how precarious this situation is if the Commanders lost Thomas for a considerable period during the regular season.
Thomas' latest injury does nothing to quash the concerns surrounding the player's ability to remain healthy. After missing 14 games over the last two seasons, it's not hard to see why many have doubts.
There won't be any great urgency to get Thomas on the field for preseason games. Getting him back in good time before Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals rolls around should be Bieniemy's biggest priority after the goalposts shifted during camp's second week.
Winner No. 3
Chase Young - Commanders DE
Another week of unhindered practice for Chase Young is in the books. Based on how the defensive end performed according to those in attendance, big things could be in his immediate future.
Young just looks different this offseason. There is an added self-confidence from being fully healthy and practicing without a knee brace, which is bringing about the sort of production we came to expect from the former Ohio State standout during his rookie campaign.
The No. 2 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft has been blowing up the edge consistently. Young is causing havoc on a three-down basis and letting everyone know about it for good measure.
Simply put, Young has his swagger back.
This is going exactly how the Washington Commanders planned. They'll still take things easy with Young throughout the preseason, but all signs point to the edge presence being ready to rock in Week 1 unless there is an unfortunate turn of events beforehand.
Young is highly motivated to silence his doubters and the Commanders could have a future problem on their hands with both starting defensive ends out of contract in 2024. However, Ron Rivera needs all the help he can get right now with his own job on the line next season, so he'll worry about that when the time comes.