Finally, the Washington Commanders will enjoy a practice where they can hit the other team. On Wednesday, Washington is in Foxboro, Massachusetts, for a joint practice with the New England Patriots. It’s a preview of sorts for Friday’s preseason opener between the two teams from Gillette Stadium.
It’s unlikely we’ll see much of Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in the preseason opener, but we should see plenty of him in Wednesday’s joint practice. The same goes for New England’s second-year quarterback, Drake Maye.
Which players need a good showing during Wednesday’s practice? We look at five players we are most interested in seeing against the Patriots, not necessarily five players who need a good day.
Everyone wants to see “Bill” in action. Head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury both mentioned wanting to see the seventh-round rookie in live action against another team. This isn’t a battle for a roster spot for Croskey-Merritt: he’s close to being a roster lock. However, his performance during this practice and the ensuing preseason games could impact how much he’ll be featured on offense early in the season.
Another rookie draft pick, Jaylin Lane, has turned heads through the first two weeks of training camp. It will be interesting to see how much work he gets against New England and if he can make an impact. Lane can play in the slot or line up on the outside. His role is still to be determined. But with Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown still sidelined, these are critical reps for Lane and Luke McCaffrey.
When the Commanders signed Martin, it went under the radar. The eight-year veteran has played for several teams, but has shown some pass-rush juice in limited snaps throughout his NFL career. Martin is in a battle with others for one of the final spots at defensive end/edge rusher. He had an excellent spring and has carried that over into training camp. It should be fun watching him go against the Patriots.
Trey Amos is yet another one of Washington’s rookies we’re excited to see. He’s had a standout camp through two weeks and looks like a future No. 1 cornerback. Washington’s entire secondary looks like a legitimate strength after struggling for a few years. The second-round pick has been around the ball all summer, coming away with multiple turnovers. It will be exciting to see him match up with another team. Amos’s length and athleticism are outstanding.
The second-year safety made the team as an undrafted free agent last summer because of his size, physicality and elite athleticism. Owens can play, too. He was outstanding on special teams last summer and impressed every time he appeared on defense. The Commanders have lined him up with the starters several times in this training camp, and he always finds a way to stand out. While Owens will not start, Washington believes he’ll make an impact on special teams and defense. Owens is one of Washington’s most exciting players to watch.