6 takeaways from Commanders' first practice in pads (2024)

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn began Monday's practice by expressing his gratitude for the United States Military. It was Military Appreciation Day at Commanders Park, and the Commanders hosted a few hundred local military members, veterans, and their families.

From there, Quinn focused on Washington's first practice in pads. What exactly was Quinn looking for with the pads on for the first time?

"Well, I think really the line of scrimmage is where the emphasis is," Quinn said. "One, I wanna make sure we're doing it correctly. Our leverage of how we're entering into a block or taking on a block, the pass rush. So, you hear, you know, coaches and others say about pad level, and so you can get into some bad habits and lose leverage if you're not using your shoulders and your body to be in those spots."

Essentially, what Quinn was saying it's difficult to judge your linemen when there are no pads.

So, what else did we learn on Washington's first day in pads?

Here are six takeaways from the Commanders' first practice in pads.

Daily Brandon Coleman update

The rookie ran with the first team on his first day in pads. While that doesn't mean anything at this time, the Commanders certainly want to see Coleman in pads against the first-team defense. By all accounts, Coleman held his own. Coleman worked at left and right tackle on Monday. Quinn praised Coleman before practice talking about his balance. While he knew he was an excellent athlete, his balance and leg strength impressed Quinn.

Tyler Biadasz and Sam Cosmi are the OL anchors

Through the first week of training camp, we've seen a lot of mixing and matching with the offensive line. Quinn, without sounding like former coach Ron Rivera and his "position flex" comments, spoke of the importance of offensive linemen being able to play multiple positions. The Commanders have rotated at left and right tackle and left guard but not at center or right guard. It's pretty clear that center Tyler Biadasz and right guard Sam Cosmi are the new anchors of Washington's rebuilt offensive line. Those two are going to play every snap unless they're injured.

Austin Ekeler at kick returner?

The NFL's new kickoff rules mean the kickoff return will be again emphasized. Instead of teams just lining up their fastest player back there to return kicks, some teams will employ a different approach. Vision and patience will matter much more on kickoff returns beginning this season. Could running back Austin Ekeler be Washington's kick returner? Ekeler has only returned five kicks in his career— all five back in his 2017 rookie season. Ekeler has been one of several players returning kicks in practice. If Washington uses him to return kicks, it would be another smart move to get the ball in the hands of one of its best players.

Undrafted rookie safety Tyler Owens sticking out

There are always undrafted rookies who win over teams across the NFL every summer. The Commanders signed multiple UDFAs who had a good shot at making the 53-man roster in 2024. Sam Hartman, Chigozie Anusiem and Tyler Owens were among the names who stood out. Early in camp, Owens has everyone's attention. Owens is big (6-foot-2, 213), strong, and fast with world-class athleticism. He plays hard and is physical, too. Safety is a deep position for Washington and Owens is making his case. He needs to stand out during the joint practices and in games, but, if nothing else, he's almost guaranteed a practice squad spot. Keep an eye on Owens for the remainder of the summer.

Dan Quinn loves big, fast players who hit hard and also play fast. That's Owens. The Commanders see a player they can find a role for, even if on special teams early.

Emmanuel Forbes showing some physicality

Emmanuel Forbes was told to gain weight and strength this offseason. He did that, gaining 17 pounds. Since camp opened last week, Forbes looks bigger, but he's also practicing with more confidence. Considering how his rookie season went, that's good news. One knock on Forbes was his size and apparent unwillingness to be physical. With pads on Monday, Forbes looked eager to get physically involved. This is another good sign for Forbes, who'll need to show this in games.

Rookie TE Ben Sinnott off to a slow start

While several members of Washington's rookie class are off to fast starts, second-round tight end Ben Sinnott is not among them. Sinnott has dropped multiple passes over the first week but did have a nifty one-handed catch. No alarms should go off on Sinnott. He'll be fine. But a slow start in camp could mean a lesser role early in his rookie season. It will be interesting to watch Sinnott in the preseason, where he should play a lot.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 6 takeaways from Commanders' first practice in pads