OPINION:
The first Washington Commanders OTAs are in the books, and there were two themes that defined them.
One was the declaration of returning defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw to all the new faces on defense: “We got some [expletive deleted] now.”
This was on May 27. The Commanders’ season begins Sept. 13.
This reminded me of the declaration by Washington safety Ryan Clark in the summer of 2014, when he told the NFL Network, before training camp started, “As far as all the pieces we have in the secondary, it’s the most talented secondary I’ve been around. It’s the most talented group of corners I’ve ever played with.”
That pass defense wound up 24th in the league that season, allowing 4,231 passing yards.
You can find more of Clark’s opinions on ESPN.
The other defining theme of the first OTAs of 2026 was that the Commanders discovered plutonium. They saw quarterback Jayden Daniels under center.
This was treated like some sort of revolutionary football development, like the first time someone took the quarterback out from under center and put him five steps back in the shotgun position.
Coach Dan Quinn was asked about Daniels’ development under center. “Yeah, we’ve done a good bit of it,” Quinn said. “It’s mostly just right now it’s been against, you know, offense-on-offense in phase two. So, that’s why I think the next few weeks will be important for that as we get started. But they’ve definitely put in the work together so far. But like most things, we just need reps and time on task at it.”
I know that Daniels seeing more time under center is part of the bigger question — how Daniels adjusts to the new Ben Johnson-type offense put in by new offensive coordinator David Blough, a departure from the Kliff Kingsbury offense that led to Daniels producing a historic rookie season two years ago while leading Washington to the NFC title game.
Being under center as part of the new offense comes with new play calling and such. But it seemed as if they were asking Daniels to learn how to speak Mandarin.
Daniels himself dismissed the questions.
“I always did that,” he told reporters. “You’ve got to be versatile in whatever you can and I had to be well-rounded. So, ever since I got in the NFL, it’s kind of just been the thing. So, it’s not anything like super new to me.”
The bigger, more important development in OTAs was a simple one — seeing a healthy Daniels on the field. The last time we saw Daniels on the field was Dec. 7, 2025, when he was taken out with a left elbow injury in a 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings
Well, unless you count his flag football game on March 21.
Quinn embraced all the good feelings of seeing a healthy Daniels on the field. “I always notice and admire him of just like the work ethic, the coming back to get it right,” he said. “His mental quickness is always something that just jumps out to me of like learning a system so quickly and fast.
“I think I saw that a few years ago, and I’m feeling those same instincts now as you guys will see at practice, you know, more huddle and it’ll look differently,” Quinn said. “You’ll see him under center more, but you see the same intent, you see the same communication. And I think it’s the mental quickness that just … he makes things that are difficult look easy. And I know they’re not, you know, with some play calls and how he goes about it, but that’s one of the things I really respect.”
Respect? I think he means loves. Celebrates. Gets on his hands and knees and thanks the stars above.
It seems like a distant memory after last year’s injury-filled disappointing 5-12 season. But when healthy, Daniels will make the difficult look easy. He is the eraser that corrects mistakes, whether he is under center or in center field.
Daniels on the field was the theme that counted the most for the team’s first OTAs. He will be again when another round of OTAs begin Tuesday.
• Catch Thom Loverro on “The Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast.
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