The Washington Commanders kick off the 2023 preseason Friday with a trip to Cleveland to face the Browns.
Washington’s starters will play. How much? Head coach Ron Rivera wasn’t about to divulge that information this week, but we should assume that starting quarterback Sam Howell and the offense will play at least two series.
One offensive player who will not play is tight end Logan Thomas. The veteran tight end has dealt with a calf injury over the last week. While the injury isn’t believed to be serious, the Commanders aren’t taking any chances with their 32-year-old starter.
Washington has a new offense in 2023 with Eric Bieniemy in charge. What should we expect to see in the preseason opener?
We identify five Washington players to watch in Friday’s preseason opener.
QB Sam Howell
You knew Howell was making this list. There is arguably no player the fans and media want to see more than Howell in the opener. While he isn’t expected to play a lot, as Howell will depart when the rest of the first-team offense does, everyone is interested to see Howell operate in Bieniemy’s offense.
What will mark a successful performance for Howell? Head coach Ron Rivera named what he was looking for from his quarterback in the preseason opener. Fans, coaches and Howell’s teammates would like to see an early scoring drive. While that may not carry over into the regular season, it would boost Howell’s confidence after an up-and-down summer from the offense in practice.
C Ricky Stromberg
The third-round center has quietly impressed in training camp. While Nick Gates is the starter, there is a buzz surrounding Ricky Stromberg, a former All-SEC pick. Something to watch, Gates has had some snapping issues in camp. Stromberg may not be competing for the starting job yet, but it’s important he could string together multiple positive performances in each of Washington’s three preseason games.
OL Braeden Daniels
While there is a positive buzz surrounding Stromberg, the same can’t be said for fourth-round pick Braeden Daniels. A left tackle at Utah, Daniels is beginning his NFL career at offensive tackle. He’s had his issues this summer. Many analysts believe his NFL future is at guard. It’s doubtful the Commanders would move on from a rookie fourth-rounder, but Daniels needs to play a lot and show something at tackle. Otherwise, it may be time to just move him inside.
TE Cole Turner
The door is wide open for second-year tight end Cole Turner to make a positive impression. Turner was the talk of OTAs and training camp early last summer until a hamstring injury cost him valuable preseason time. The same vibe has surrounded Turner this summer. The Commanders badly need another tight end to step up in Bieniemy’s tight end-friendly offense. What we need to see from Turner is for him to play at least a half, get open and make a catch or two. But, most importantly, stay healthy.
WR/PR Kazmeir Allen
There was a ton of buzz surrounding undrafted free-agent wide receiver Kazmeir Allen in OTAs. After seeing his college highlights, many already predicted him to be Washington’s primary returner in 2023. Thus far, Allen hasn’t stood out from others in training camp. With the games beginning, he now has his chance to stand out and separate himself for that final wide receiver spot. What will really help Allen’s chances is for him to make an impact in the return game. The potential is there.
