Despite months of online chatter and media speculation, the Commanders believe they are set at the wide receiver position as the team begins training camp Wednesday.
At a Tuesday evening press conference with head coach Dan Quinn, general manager Adam Peters said he feels comfortable with the 11 receivers Washington has on the roster, emphasizing classroom learning, the competitiveness within the group and the leadership of Pro Bowl veteran Terry McLaurin.
“[We’re] really happy with who’s in that room, really happy with how the guys progressed in the offseason and stepped up,” Peters said. “I think they’re going to take another step in this training camp.”
Despite the confidence, the GM added that those beliefs could change over the course of camp. Of the receivers on the roster, only McLaurin had more than 350 receiving yards last season.
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“If we have ways to get better, we’re always going to look into that and assess the decision if it’s the right move for our team or not,” Peters said. “And if we do think it is, we’re not afraid to do that.”
San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been at the center of most offseason chatter, as the former All-Pro has publicly angled to join his college quarterback, Jayden Daniels, in Washington. Even as Aiyuk has increasingly posted to social media about the possibility of a move, Washington has declined to publicly discuss the 28-year-old.
San Francisco has yet to officially release Aiyuk, although it is widely believed he will not play another snap for the 49ers.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Peters was asked if a prospective player’s social media activity is taken into account when considering an acquisition. The question got a laugh out of Peters and Quinn.
“We do look at everything, and we want to make sure it’s the right player to be in our locker room, in our bloodstream, in our culture,” Peters said.
While Washington hasn’t made a splashy acquisition at receiver, Peters believes the team has taken the requisite steps to make Daniels’ job easier. The general manager noted the signing of tight end Chig Okonkwo, the offseason overhaul of the team’s defense and the scheming by new offensive coordinator David Blough.
“There’s a great energy in the building on both sides, so I think when you bring all those things together … the staff has done a really good job of surrounding him with opportunity to win,” Peters said.
On the other side of the football, cornerback Trey Amos should be practicing “soon” after missing all of spring practice rehabbing the fractured fibula he sustained in Week 10 last year. Peters said Amos dealt with soft tissue soreness earlier in the offseason and the team is taking a cautionary approach to his return.
To shore up the defensive backfield, Washington signed veteran Rasul Douglas on July 9. The 10-year veteran started 13 games for the Dolphins last season, totaling 13 pass deflections and a 54% completion percentage allowed in coverage.
“He’s played at a high level,” Peters said. “He started a lot of games recently, and he always performs.”
Neither Quinn nor Peters provided further detail on the team’s decision to fire tight ends coach Ben Steele on Monday. Steele, who was hired in February, was arrested on June 7 and charged with driving while intoxicated.
“A lot of thought was put into that decision, and it’s just unfortunate,” Quinn said.
Offensive assistant Wes Welker, a former All-Pro wide receiver, will fill the role, though no official title change has happened yet. Welker coached the unit during spring practices after Steele’s arrest.
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