7 Commanders players firmly on the hot seat at 2024 training camp
By Dean Jones
Things are about to get more intense for the Washington Commanders as preparations for the 2024 campaign reach their most critical phase.
Training camp will be the deciding factor for many regarding their respective futures. It's a chance for individuals to raise performance levels and Dan Quinn's coaching staff to get everyone on the same page. After a dramatic offseason of widespread changes from top to bottom, this is the most important objective above all else.
The energy is back across this once-proud franchise. Players look reinvigorated after most were going through the motions last time around. Fans are expectant after being dragged through the mud for two decades under the previous owner. Confidence is increasing about what the Commanders might be capable of with a potential franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels to lean on.
It'll be fast, physical, and competitive throughout camp. That's the way Quinn wants it. He believes this also provides a firm stepping stone to make things easier when the real action arrives.
A fascinating few weeks await. With this in mind, here are seven Commanders players who are firmly on the hot seat entering the team's training camp in 2024.
Zach Ertz - Commanders TE
The Washington Commanders picked up veteran tight end Zach Ertz early in free agency. He's gotta close relationship with Kliff Kingsbury from their time together on the Arizona Cardinals. Whether similar success arrives in a different environment is anyone's guess, but the Pro Bowler made an impressive start over early offseason workouts to increase optimism.
Ertz looked like someone who could help, albeit in a more relaxed setting. How the former second-round selection out of Stanford performs when the pads go on at camp will provide fans and coaches with a broader perspective of his potential role in 2024.
This is nothing more than a one-year arrangement all things considered. At the same time, Ertz still needs to produce and help younger players like Ben Sinnott on the right path. Setting the correct tone when camp commences will go a long way to achieving these objectives.