Commanders training camp superlatives: Biggest wild card, most to prove and more

The Commanders have big questions to address in the secondary, at wide receiver and in the pass rush when training camp opens next week.

It’s all in flux with just under two months until the regular season opener in Philadelphia. But the Commanders feel they have the answers on the roster to fix their 2025 woes and return to the playoffs. Here are a few players to watch who could be key parts of a turnaround in Washington.

Most to prove: Treylon Burks

There is no position with more unknowns heading into camp than receiver, and there is no receiver with more questions surrounding him than Treylon Burks.

The NFL has been waiting for the 2022 first-round pick to live up to his lofty expectations. Burks was one of the more productive receivers in the SEC coming out of Arkansas. His 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame made him a matchup nightmare for smaller cornerbacks.

But his game hasn’t translated to the NFL. He’s dealt with injuries almost every year and has struggled to get playing time. The Titans opted against picking up his fifth-year option and eventually waived him midway through last season.

The Commanders, though, feel Burks can be their answer at receiver. After they picked him up last season, he had 10 catches for 130 yards in limited time. The Commanders then re-signed him to a one-year, $4 million deal.

And if there was ever a chance for Burks to establish himself in the NFL, this is it. Washington is searching for anyone to play alongside receiver Terry McLaurin. Some thought the Commanders would sign a Pro Bowl-caliber player like Brandon Aiyuk or Stefon Diggs, but that hasn’t happened.

So Burks will be competing for time with the likes of Dyami Brown, Jaylin Lane, Van Jefferson and Luke McCaffrey. If he can’t seize the moment now, it might not come around again.

Biggest opportunity: Odafe Oweh

General manager Adam Peters seemed intent on giving out one- or two-year deals this offseason — with one major exception. The Commanders splurged for pass rusher Odafe Oweh, signing him to a four-year, $100 million contract.

The move made sense for both sides. Washington needed pass-rush help, and Oweh has a chance to establish himself as a foundational piece.

During his time in Baltimore, Oweh showed flashes of the talent that led the Ravens to select him 31st overall in 2021, including a 10-sack season in 2024. But he couldn’t build on that in 2025, and midway through the season, Baltimore traded him to the Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman.

The Chargers seemed to unlock something in Oweh, who recorded 7.5 sacks in 12 games under coordinator Jesse Minter, now the Ravens’ head coach.

Washington hopes he can continue that level of production in 2026.

Biggest wild card: The secondary

The biggest wild card is not a player but the entire back end of the defense. The Commanders are counting on several new names and young faces to hold up in coverage.

Peters signed Nick Cross at safety and added Amik Robertson and Rasul Douglas at corner. He is banking on guys like Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos to take big leaps on the outside. Sainristil is a third-year player, and Amos is heading into his second season.

There are a lot of moving parts. Add in new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones and you get a very busy camp.

Most under-the-radar player: Leo Chenal

When it comes to the linebacker position, first-round pick Sonny Styles takes up plenty of oxygen. But we shouldn’t forget who could play alongside him.

Chenal signed a three-year, $24.75 million contract this offseason to come over from Kansas City. He is a capable starter, grading out as Pro Football Focus’ 17th-best linebacker last year.

He can get after the quarterback — recording 11 pressures in 2025 — and is a sound tackler. The Commanders need their linebackers to be versatile in the new scheme under Jones. Chenal fits the mold. He could form a nice tandem with Styles in 2026.