Who Stuck Out from Washington Commanders Offseason Program?

The next phase of the offseason has officially wrapped up for the Washington Commanders with the three days of mandatory minicamp in the books, giving head coach Dan Quinn a chance to test his depth one season after watching his team struggle through managing exactly that. Yet it also gave the coaching staff a chance to gauge who can begin flashing as either key contributors or rotation pieces in 2026.

Running back Rachaad White was among the new additions mentioned by head coach Dan Quinn after flashing his impact in the receiving game to add the element that was missing from the 2025 rotation. Yet so was K'Lavon Chaisson, the former New England Patriot edge rusher who spurned longer deals with other teams like the New Orleans Saints to sign with Washington on a one-year deal. 

"In a camp that doesn't have pads, [he] showed a lot of edge and toughness the way he competes," Quinn said of Chaisson.

He'll be a big part of the outside linebacker rotation alongside Odafe Oweh and potentially Frankie Luvu, but they weren't the only two new faces.

After Quinn reiterated Van Jefferson emerged among a crop of receivers looking to separate and prove themselves as playmakers in a room lacking many proven ones, so has local product Jaden Bradley, an undrafted free agent out of UNLV who teamed up with Commanders safety Nick Cross at DeMatha Catholic High School back in the day. The one-time Pitt receiver offers intrigue as potential competition to Treylon Burks as a 6-foot-3 receiver who posted a 4.55 second 40 yard dash and 36-inch vertical ahead of the NFL Draft.

Linebackers Kain Medrano and Jordan Magee also earned a nod as the duo look to become part of a vastly improved linebacker room as they look to upgrade the depth behind Sonny Styles and Leo Chenal anchoring the inside linebacker rotation.

Yet how the defensive line shakes out is its own question mark with several proven pieces looking to become part of what's expected to be a multiple front under position coach Eric Henderson and coordinator Daronte Jones. Johnny Newton is among the established pieces who fit that profile, as Quinn pointed to the defensive tackle as one who's flashed heading into his third season in the NFL.

Newton wasn't the only defensive lineman who stuck out after defensive end TJ Maguranyanga, who inked with the team through the NFL's International Player Pathway Program following the 2024 season, was tabbed as "one that's improved."

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