Commanders training camp observations: An unlocked Odafe Oweh and a surprise tight end shine

ASHBURN, Va. — Depending on who you ask, you’ll get polar opposite perspectives on Odafe Oweh.

To some, he’s the uber-talented pass rusher whose potential never quite materialized in Baltimore. Some good moments, some good seasons, but not enough to justify the long-term deal he wanted.

And to others, he’s the man who benefited from a change in scenery. Those 7.5 sacks in 12 games with the Chargers last year, after he was traded by the Ravens, are indicative of the potential that’s still there.

Washington, at least, is subscribing to the second theory. Commanders general manager Adam Peters gave Oweh a four-year, $100 million deal, and so far in training camp, they are giving him all the autonomy in the defense to pick when he wants to take chances on sacks.

“We definitely trust him,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “You have to do some experimenting in camp. For a guy like him, left side, right side, off the ball. It’ll be a little bit ongoing. He is definitely somebody that you want to feature and find matchups to go after.”

For Oweh’s part, he says he never had this freedom in Baltimore. But he thinks this scheme will mean more production, similar to what he did in his short stint in Los Angeles.

Picking my spots, when to take chances and stuff like that,” said Oweh, who produced a career-best 10 sacks in 2024. “I haven’t usually had it in the past, except for the Chargers.”

The Commanders are in desperate need of a better pass rush after the defense was in the bottom four in the NFL last year.

For now, Oweh is expected to lead a revamped group.

Tight end passing game

No Stefon Diggs. No Brandon Aiyuk. No problem?

Well, quarterback Jayden Daniels has seemingly found a way around Washington’s wide receiver worries. He is just going to the tight ends again, again and again.

He opened practice on Tuesday with a strike over the middle to Chig Okonkwo. The 6-foot-3 target has become a mainstay of the passing offense early on in camp. But it’s not just Okonkwo. Colson Yankoff and Ben Sinnott have also become featured pass catchers. Throw Lawrence Cager in there, too.

Yankoff is a particularly interesting player emerging in camp. He was a former quarterback in Idaho and originally committed to Oregon. He bounced around colleges and positions, playing running back and wide receiver. He finished at UCLA and now is a tight end going into his third NFL season.

“I think [his skill set] elevates to the passing game. His background at quarterback kind of leans toward that,” Quinn said. “He’s really carved out his way. He’s got a lot of trust in the quarterbacks back and forth.”

With this new offensive scheme that will see Daniels under center more, the play action game should unlock the tight ends to be more involved in the passing game. And Daniels’ ability to work the ball to the middle of the field in heavy traffic makes the tight ends real targets.

A new wrinkle?

Another part of the passing game that continues to pop up is out of the backfield. In particular, running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt.

Croskey-Merritt worked hard in the offseason to become a more complete player. He added eight pounds to be a better blocker. That was a main point of emphasis after the former seventh-round pick surprised everyone by becoming Washington’s lead running back last year.

But he also worked on his pass catching. It’s showing up through the first week of camp. Daniels has repeatedly gone to him, including in red zone work.

“That’s something I definitely want to show. Like I can do more than just run the ball,” he said. “They want me to be able to do more. And I feel like they know I can do it.”