Who were the winners and losers of the Washington Commanders' impressive preseason victory against the Cleveland Browns?
After plenty of drama throughout the offseason and even within the last few days after Ron Rivera's comments about Eric Bieniemy, the Washington Commanders mercifully turned their attention to football matters. And it was great to see their new era begin with victory in front of Josh Harris at the Cleveland Browns.
The result is secondary at this juncture. Getting out of warmup games unscathed on the injury front and evaluating how players are developing is far more important heading into the real action, but it was a confidence-building scoreline nonetheless.
All things considered, this was a positive outing for the Commanders. There was a slight dip in performance levels after the half-time break, but that's to be expected as players look to get their football legs back under them.
With that being said, here are five winners ad losers from Washington's win at the Browns.
Winner No. 1
Christian Holmes - Commanders CB
There was a level of ferocity across the Washington Commanders' secondary that was hard to ignore. There seems to be more aggression and energy within the group than at any stage during the previous campaign, which could make Jack Del Rio's defense a real force next season if everyone stays clear of injuries.
One player who caught the eye more than most on Friday evening was Christian Holmes. The gifted cornerback looked assured in coverage and came up with a couple of outstanding pass defenses to boost his roster chances considerably.
While there's no guarantee Holmes secures a place on the 53 initially, those in power would have a hard time leaving him out if the same consistency emerges over the next two preseason encounters.
Loser No. 1
Andrew Wylie - Commanders OT
If there was one position group that could hold the Washington Commanders back in 2023, it's once again the offensive line. Those in power feel like they've made improvements after tweaking some responsibilities and acquiring reinforcements, but it's still a fine line between success and failure for this often suspect unit.
Unfortunately, the protection looked a little shaky during their first preseason game with the Cleveland Browns. Some individuals emerged with credit, but Andrew Wylie really struggled to get anything going during his time on the field.
The Commanders didn't have much money to spend on free agents, so their investment in Wylie was significant. The right tackle is coming off a Super Bowl-winning campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs and has a previous connection to Eric Bieniemy, but this wasn't the best start in a game-day setting.
Wylie looked shaky in pass protection despite the Browns sitting stud defensive end Myles Garrett, There were also some discipline issues in terms of penalties that the Commanders won't want to become an ongoing issue.
Again, we are early in the process and Wylie is experienced enough to know more is required. But he did look like a weak link in this one - especially considering how well Sam Cosmi performed at the right guard spot.
Winner No. 2
Chris Rodriguez Jr. - Commanders RB
One of our bold predictions before the game was Chris Rodriguez Jr. going over 100 yards rushing. While the sixth-round selection didn't get anywhere close to that number, he was the most impressive Washington Commanders running back at the Cleveland Browns by a considerable margin.
With the likes of Jaret Patterson and Derrick Gore struggling to find the right seams, Rodriguez took full advantage. He looks locked in to become the Commanders' No. 3 option behind Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson barring any major setbacks in the coming weeks - something that was cemented by this outstanding showing.
Gaining 7.8 yards per carry represents an exceptional contribution from Rodriguez. It was a small sample size with five carries, but something that can give the one-time Kentucky standout confidence that he genuinely belongs at the next level.
It'll be interesting to see if the Commanders increase Rodriguez's workload over the next two weeks. Spreading the wealth was the primary objective in Preseason Week 1, but this could change depending on how Eric Bieniemy and his staff evaluate everything upon further film examination.
Regardless of what comes next for others, Rodriguez should be part of the plans. And if he can gradually enhance areas of his game such as pass blocking that need improvement, the Commanders might have a steal on their hands.
Loser No. 2
Quan Martin - Commanders DB
This is overreaction season. Players will get lauded too much or written off depending on their performances from one week to the next, so it's important to keep some perspective in mind when examining preseason production.
One such example is Quan Martin. The second-round pick was a surprise selection at the time - especially considering the number of outstanding interior offensive linemen that were available for the Washington Commanders - but hopes are high that he can make an impact across the secondary after an exceptional college career at Illinois.
While those objectives remain the same, Martin won't be looking back on his opening taste of NFL game-day reps with any great fondness. However, it's also worth remembering there were probably quite a few nerves for the rookie heading into a live-fire environment for the first time.
Some handle pressure better than others. Martin looked a little lost on occasions, but this is all part of the learning curve and why the NFL has preseason games, to begin with.
One would expect Martin to bounce back and perform much better moving forward. This was a baptism of fire for the versatile defensive back, which will be a stern reminder of how much hard work is ahead in order to reach some pretty lofty expectations.
Winner No. 3
Cole Turner - Commanders TE
With Logan Thomas still dealing with a calf issue, this was a great opportunity for Cole Turner to prove he can be a key figure with increased responsibilities next season. It's a small sample size and the player missed a lot of time as a rookie, but this was a decent start.
Turner's route-running was crisp and he became a dependable weapon to call upon in the short-to-intermediate range. More importantly, the quarterbacks had no issue giving him the football in key moments.
This was reflected in Turner bringing in his four targets for 31 receiving yards. It might not sound like much, but it's a step in the right direction for the former Nevada stud, who's enjoyed a tremendous camp so far and could become the secondary receiving option within the tight end room behind Thomas if everything continues in a similar manner.
That's the next challenge for Turner. Flashing moments of promise and fading isn't going to cut it anymore - the 2022 fifth-rounder needs to establish himself as a force with more frequency to earn the trust of Eric Bieniemy - but this was a strong sign he's taking everything on board in the hope of additional targets.
Washington needs Thomas healthy and firing as part of Bieniemy's dynamic system. But that's no guarantee these days, which could mean Turner stands to benefit if he keeps up this level of production heading into the campaign.