There's a palpable sense of transformation surrounding the Washington Commanders this training camp and preseason. With new faces in the form of players and an almost entirely revamped coaching staff—including a new head coach in Dan Quinn, alongside new offensive and defensive coordinators—the atmosphere is electric with change.
The Commanders have embraced a fresh practice structure, and even the logistics of where players reside have seen an overhaul. Among the most intriguing additions to their regimen is "Tell the Truth Monday." This new initiative rolled out two days after the Commanders' narrow 20-17 preseason loss to the Jets.
Head coach Dan Quinn underscored the importance of this new tradition, emphasizing, "It was good to tell the truth Monday—this is what we learned, this is what we need to do heading into this week." The initiative lasted throughout the morning until lunch, providing a thorough review of both successes and areas needing improvement. Quinn's advice was clear: "Don't harden your heart to the corrections."
One of the standout moments from the game against the Jets was the performance of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Despite playing just one drive, Daniels made an impressive impact, leading an audible that resulted in a 42-yard pass to Dyami Brown and capping the series with a 3-yard touchdown run. Quinn expressed satisfaction with Daniels’ performance, a sentiment echoed in his praise of fellow rookie Ben Sinnott, who notched three receptions for 57 yards.
Quinn appreciated the team's ball security and the tackling efforts, particularly highlighting safeties Percy Butler and Jeremy Reaves. Yet, he didn't shy away from addressing shortcomings, pointing out some tackling issues and the concerning lack of turnovers forced by the team. "Tell the Truth Monday" revealed both high points and areas for serious work, serving as a reflective exercise for improvement.
The Commanders faced notable absences as tackles Brandon Coleman (shoulder/pectoral), Andrew Wylie (tightness), and Cornelius Lucas (personal) did not play. This led to a rotation where six different players lined up at tackle, including Mason Brooks, Chris Paul, and Braeden Daniels—three athletes ideally competing for guard depth spots. Brooks, a recent addition signed just three days before the game, played 34 of his team-high 53 snaps at left tackle.
The injury woes extended beyond the tackle positions. Rookies Johnny Newton (foot), Jordan Magee (knee), and Sam Hartman (shoulder) are all dealing with injuries, with Newton and Magee particularly expected to contribute sooner rather than later. These challenges further complicate the team's efforts to establish a solid foundation ahead of the regular season.
Brooks commented on the dual nature of "Tell the Truth Monday," acknowledging its role in addressing both successes and failures. "Tell the Truth is good and bad. There's high points—like your rookie quarterback making a check like that—and there's low points, like guys missing assignments and coming up short. Obviously when you don't win the game, it's a little bit more serious of a 'Tell the Truth Monday' than if you come out with a win."
Maintaining a positive outlook amidst the new dynamics, Brooks remarked, "You just have to take things in stride the best that you can. When you're working in uncharted or new territory, there's a lot of new experiences for you to have. I think the important thing is just to keep moving forward the best that you can."
Ben Sinnott echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes. "We still got a lot of stuff to improve on. I think the big thing that we kind of heard—the 'truth'—just being able to finish that game, make the plays that we need. We had a three-and-out, penalty on our last drive to go and take the lead, so just things we need to clean up, pre-snap errors, that kind of stuff that we can clean up and hopefully take our game to the next level."
As the Commanders navigate these changes, the mantra that "the eye in the sky don't lie" remains a steadfast reminder that the game film reveals all. The team's new structures and the honest reflections provided by "Tell the Truth Monday" aim to build the habits needed for success as they prepare for the season ahead. While there is much to be excited about, the coaching staff and players alike understand the necessity of addressing their weaknesses head-on to harness the newness into a cohesive, winning strategy.