ASHBURN, Va. — General Manager Adam Peters and Head Coach Dan Quinn held a press conference at the BigBear.ai Performance Center on Tuesday as Washington Commanders veterans reported for the start of 2026 training camp, the third under Quinn and the first since a 5-12 slide followed the franchise’s run to the NFC Championship Game.
Quinn set the tone for the six-week camp, saying he wants fans to feel the energy the team is bringing into the season. “I’m excited for you guys to feel the energy of the team, their readiness, their swagger,” Quinn said. “As we get started, I’m excited for you all to feel that.” Much of the early conversation centered on quarterback Jayden Daniels, who worked his way back from injury throughout the offseason. “One thing I’ve learned over the year from Jayden, man, there’s no limits on him. This is somebody that absolutely is a savage from a work standpoint,” Quinn said. “You felt his hunger from the beginning of the offseason the way he went after it. Just his ability to understand this scheme that quickly, it’s not easy for anybody to do and he often makes the difficult things look easy.”
Peters echoed that sentiment and pointed to the roster moves made to support Daniels this offseason, including the addition of tight end Chig Okonkwo. “He provides a lot of versatility in where he can line up and what he can do for us and when he gets the ball in his hands. And then he’s pretty magical,” Peters said. On the overall mood entering camp, Peters said, “I’m excited as I’ve ever been. There’s a ton of great energy from all aspects of the building, to see how this is going to unfold.”
Washington’s first padded practice opens camp’s most telling stretch, with open-to-the-public sessions scheduled for August 1, 7, 8, 18 and 19. The Commanders host a joint practice with Miami on Aug. 12 before traveling to Owings Mills, Md., for a joint session with Baltimore on Aug. 26 ahead of the preseason slate.