ASHBURN, Va. — Sam Hartman is not without notoriety or connections to the Washington Commanders’ past and present. The rookie quarterback with ties to Joe Gibbs and Jayden Daniels is, along with other roster hopefuls, pushing to be part of the team’s future.
College football fans know Hartman from his starry days with Wake Forest and Notre Dame. The Charlotte, N.C., native played youth football with Ty and William Gibbs, grandsons of the three-time Super Bowl champion head coach. The iconic Joe Gibbs attended Tuesday’s sweltering practice along with Washington Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green. Pre-practice news that Daniels, Hartman’s best friend on the team, would be the Commanders’ starting quarterback in Saturday’s preseason opener overshadowed the legends’ presence.
“You guys can tell it’s like two brothers,” Hartman said of his relationship with Daniels. “I enjoy watching him grow, compete and learn.”
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As exciting as seeing the heralded No. 2 pick take his first live game snaps for the organization, the actual performance at the New York Jets arguably affects the team’s other rookie passer and numerous roster hopefuls more.
Competition exists across Washington’s roster. Tuesday’s release of the unofficial depth chart, while titillating for the talk show circuit, doesn’t state the number of slots available on the initial 53-man roster. No position room is set.
All four of the Commanders’ quarterbacks are expected to play on Saturday. Depending on needs elsewhere and the passers’ performances, only two may make the Week 1 active roster. Regardless of when he enters the game, Hartman’s push for a spot begins now.
Sam Hartman on his brotherly bond with Jayden Daniels and prepping for his opportunity this week against the Jets. pic.twitter.com/9S4U80IFmM
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 7, 2024
“I’m just excited about the opportunity, whatever it is,” Hartman said. “(I’m) ready to compete and have some fun.”
That’s offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s vibe, even if the former Arizona Cardinals head coach isn’t ready to unveil his whole plan of attack. “You pick your spots … preseason, we’re not going to show much,” he said.
On the agenda are seeing players in “game-like situations” and having rookies experience the pre-game rhythms with warmups and travel.
“Our guys have done a nice job, and we’ve had the opportunity to rep what we’re going to rep in season,” Kingsbury said. “To attack it and understand those reps, it has got to be very meaningful because we’re not going to show everything we have just yet. We’re going to save that for Tampa Bay.”
Washington’s new play caller is curious about the depth at several spots, including the offensive line, and how Hartman and the other quarterbacks will fare in three preseason games plus joint practices with the Jets and Miami Dolphins.
“Sam’s been great. A great personality (and) competitor,” Kingsbury said. “Everywhere he’s been, he’s been a winner. I think anytime you put him in those game situations, he lights up. … I expect him to go in and execute at a high level, run around and make plays like he always has.”
The structure of joint practices, where both coaching staffs determine the plan, offers more rep guarantees. Daniels and Marcus Mariota will likely play more in Thursday’s practice at the Jets facility in Florham Park, N.J., than in Saturday’s noon meeting at MetLife Stadium.
“Some may play more in practice and less in the game,” coach Dan Quinn said. “But that’s really by design, and especially for some of the youngest players, I really wanted them to have their moment to show what they can do and prove, whether it’s here or elsewhere, that they got the chops to play in this league.”
Knowing the stakes can alter a player’s mindset, 10-year veteran receiver Jamison Crowder advises, “Go out there and play. It’s just another game.” Crowder says with the experience of having been on both sides of the roster bubble, he’s in the spot again this year, though his punt returner chops — he’s listed atop the depth chart — might be a tiebreaker.
The differentiator for second-year wide receiver Brycen Tremayne is obvious. At 6-foot-4, Tremayne’s size stands out in a receiver room loaded with smaller targets. As many as three wide receiver jobs are available, with Crowder, Dyami Brown, Mitchell Tinsley and Tremayne the top contenders.
“I think the guys that are able to do more, if you can move them inside, move them outside in our system, are the ones that are going to have a chance to stick,” Kingsbury said.
Tremayne isn’t necessarily a moveable piece, but his consistent ability to snag downfield passes in practice while offering a physical blocking option thrust him into competition for a job with a new staff. The Stanford alum sees his preseason challenge as “just keep doing it.”
Injuries and, in the case of right guard Sam Cosmi, illness opened playing time along the line in practice. Last season’s starting right tackle, Andrew Wylie, has participated sparingly in camp because of unspecified “tightness.” Third-round rookie Brandon Coleman, a leading candidate for left tackle duties, was held out of Tuesday’s practice, while the Commanders released offensive tackle Alex Akingbulu with an injury designation. Kingsbury on Tuesday cited excitement for “some of those young offensive linemen when we go against another color jersey.”
“There are some guys who have got to step up,” the coordinator known for a fast-paced offense said. “It’s time for them to show what they can do, and there’s no better place than going against a really good defense in the Jets the next few days.”
On the move🕺@NWFCU | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/38jC6NQHt1
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) August 6, 2024
Guard Mason Brooks generated some 2023 draft buzz but ultimately went unselected. The former Western Kentucky and Ole Miss lineman had a few bright moments in Washington’s training camp before joining Tremayne on the practice squad. He knows the preseason game and joint practice “are important for everyone … guys with more on the line have more to prove.”
Now he’s battling third-year guard Chris Paul, 2023 Day 2 picks Ricky Stromberg and Braeden Daniels, and Julian Good-Jones for a backup opportunity. On Tuesday, Washington signed ex-Pittsburgh Steelers interior lineman J.C. Hassenauer (45 games, seven starts) to bolster the available options against the Jets.
“The path I’ve taken has been unorthodox from the start,” said Brooks, who was thrust into tackle reps because of the injuries. “I didn’t think this was the route I would take. … Sometimes, it is a waiting game. Execute day by day, and when the opportunity comes … go out there and perform.”
Where tight end Colson Yankoff would perform at UCLA depended on the season. He played quarterback for the Bruins initially and shifted to receiver as a sophomore before settling in at running back his last two campaigns. Therefore, learning a new position is normal for the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Yankoff.
“This is my rookie year, and this is all new to me,” said the undrafted free agent with a sunny disposition. “It’s been a blast.”
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Washington’s tight end group is loaded with players possessing NBA swingman height. One of them, Armani Rogers, was released on Tuesday. That creates a head-to-head battle with third-year player Cole Turner for a possible fourth tight end spot. Yankoff’s special teams chops and positional length might be enough to overcome the extreme learning curve.
Chris Rodriguez Jr.’s grip on the third running back role behind Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler isn’t as firm as expected. The 2023 sixth-round pick with desired power for inside runs has the chance to make noise after a quiet camp, but Jeremy McNichols and undrafted free agents Austin Jones and Michael Wiley aren’t backing away from the challenge. They are hardly alone. With Washington recalibrating nearly every aspect of the organization, Quinn is here for it.
“I’ve been pleased with the guys and the (competition). … So, a really cool couple weeks ahead that we’ll really have to hammer down.”
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
