The preseason-opener outcome didn’t go in the Washington Commanders' favor, but good moments included a sleek play from Jayden Daniels and his nice gift to his mom. Also, the Commanders had three roster-hopeful players who improved their stock after the 20-17 loss to the Jets.
Tight end Ben Sinnott, wide receiver Dyami Brown, and third-string quarterback Jeff Driskel each had their moments in the NFL preseason contest.
Commanders TE Ben Sinnott starting to shine
There are reasons to believe Sinnott will make an impact for the Commanders in 2024. And his strong second quarter in the loss to the Jets moves that narrative forward.
In that 12-minute period, the 2024 second-round pick caught three passes for 52 yards. A 44-yard gain on a seam route highlighted the effort.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said game evidence is important, via commanders.com. He stated there are some things that can only be learned during game action. That includes Sinnott’s physicality, which can’t be shown off under practice limitations.
“It was good to see Sinnott stretching the field in the passing game,” Quinn said. “I had seen quite a bit of it in the running game, so to see some of that, I was pleased with that.”
Quinn stated earlier in the year how much he likes what Sinnott has been showing, according to Sports Illustrated.
“I've been impressed by Ben,” Quinn said. “I thought he would be excellent in the run game. I thought that would be one of his marks that he would really hit and be good in that spot, and he has been. What I've been most impressed by is his ability on some contested catches.
“Sometimes you look for that in one-on-ones. How's it going to go in the NFL? There's so many man or man-like defenses where you stay attached to somebody. If you and I were going for the same ball, can I go and get that contested catch to bring it in? And that was part of his game. I wasn't sure.
“To see him fight and compete for these close catches that could go either way. He's done a good job with that. So, I'm really excited to see where he goes.”
Commanders WR Dyami Brown stands out
Creating separation is the hallmark of standout NFL receivers, and Brown turned in a nice performance in that area against the Jets. And he finished second to Sinnott with 55 yards receiving.
Brown’s day might have been bigger if not for a couple of off-target passes when he got open.
Brown, a fourth-year player with 29 career catches, has NFL speed. He showed it off against the Jets, and Quinn noticed, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic.
“You’ve seen some big plays from Dyami through this training camp,” Quinn said. “(There were) actually some in the spring that got my attention to say, ‘Ok, what’s there?’ (It’s) his ability to get on top of people and stay. He’s got size and he’s got length.”
“I was excited for him to make a big play like that (against the Jets). I can’t speak to the past, but what I can say is, from what I’ve seen. The competing, he’s on teams, he’s really going for it.”
Brown has a path to playing time on a team that is looking for answers at the wide receiver position. And if rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels develops quickly, at least one receiver other than Terry McLaurin will benefit nicely.
Third-string QB Jeff Driskel does well
While the numbers weren’t earth-shattering, Driskel played fairly well. He completed 7 of 15 attempts for 87 yards, totals that could have been better if he hadn’t missed a couple of open looks. Driskel also added a 16-yard run, putting him over 100 yards for the game.
Keep in mind the quarterback competition is not stiff. Sam Hartman, a rookie out of Notre Dame, is in the mix along with presumed top backup Marcus Mariota. It seems like a longshot that Driskel could unseat Mariota. Hartman went 8 for 13 for 83 yards whule Mariota completed his only attempt for six yards.
Quinn said Daniels moved to the top of the depth chart, according to commanders.com from a transcript. He also said Daniels is ahead of preseason projections.
“I had high expectations for him coming in, but I would say he's definitely surpassed even my expectations of the readiness, the command,” Quinn said. “I knew he was going to be cool, knowing the system, he's just got that way about him. But yet, you do see the other players gravitate toward (him). They recognize how hard he's worked at it.
“And I'd also be mistaken (not) to say, Marcus has had a really good camp too, and so this was not something that's easy to do. That's what real competition is about. And I couldn't think of a better teammate than Marcus or Jayden. The quarterback room, like I said, has just been remarkable.”
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