Players up and down the depth chart are about to embark on an important stage of preparations. The Washington Commanders are entering Phase 3 of their offseason workout program, which includes organized team activities and a mandatory minicamp before the pivotal training camp later this summer.
Dan Quinn and his staff will have a good lay of the land by now. Adam Peters worked hard to improve the roster this offseason, which raised competition for places. That should bring urgency and enhanced production in the coming months before Week 1 against the New York Giants rolls around.
Big things are expected of the Commanders next season. They are no longer the league's surprise package. They are a leading Super Bowl contender with eight standalone games in 2025. That's something this once-proud franchise hasn't experienced for decades, so matching their newfound limelight status is crucial.
Things will change between now and Washington's regular-season opener. Players will come to the fore. Others will wilt with the spotlight glaring. Either way, the Commanders will be in good shape.
Before then, we predicted the Commanders' starters for 2025 before the battles begin.
Projecting Commanders 2025 starters before the battles even begin
Commanders special teams
Tress Way (P), Matt Gay (PK), Tyler Ott (LS), Jaylin Lane (KR), Luke McCaffrey (PR/KR)
There is a refreshing sense of calm around the Commanders' special teams unit this offseason. Legendary punter Tress Way is back for another campaign. The same goes for long-snapper Tyler Ott. It looked for a long time as if Zane Gonzalez would get a reprieve, but those in power changed plans quickly when an opportunity fell into their lap.
The Commanders disposed of Gonzalez after signing Matt Gay. They also gave him the most guaranteed money on a one-year kicker deal in NFL history, which speaks volumes to the confidence surrounding the veteran.
Things didn't go quite according to plan for Gay last season with the Indianapolis Colts. Even so, the Pro Bowler represents a major upgrade on Gonzalez if he can benefit from being part of a winning environment.
The kick return game also got an extra sense of explosiveness. Jaylin Lane has the speed and elusiveness to make a considerable impact. Luke McCaffrey's flashes as a kick returner last season leave reasons for encouragement. This should also allow the Commanders to take this responsibility away from Austin Ekeler, who suffered significant concussion issues during the previous campaign.
It's a pretty solid unit. With the likes of Jeremy Reaves, Percy Butler, Tyler Owens, and rookie Kain Medrano on the coverage team, the pieces are in place to progress.