ASHBURN, VA — With mandatory minicamp now behind them, the Washington Commanders enter their break before training camp with a clearer picture of two storylines that will shape the roster: the linebacker room’s communication and running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s continued development.
Head coach Dan Quinn addressed both during his sessions with reporters at the BigBearAI Performance Center, according to transcripts published by the team. Asked about what stood out defensively through the early days of minicamp, Quinn pointed to the back seven.
“Defensively, I would say I like the disguises that I see, you know, from the back seven in this type of format,” Quinn said on June 16. “The communication from linebackers and safety is back and forth. Those would be two things that jump out to me so far.”
Two days later, Quinn singled out linebackers Kain Medrano and Jordan Magee specifically when reflecting on the week. “Linebackers, Kain [Medrano] and Jordan [Magee] through this time was big,” he said in his June 18 opening statement — part of the same closing session covered in our Day Three minicamp recap.
Quinn was also asked directly about Croskey-Merritt’s growth and what it means for the second-year back heading into a bigger role. “Yes and some of the, you know, from like a play design, like a little bit different where some stretch cutback type of plays,” Quinn said. “So, seeing him do that, his explosiveness to go and do that, that’s a big deal. … I do feel like there’s like this elevation that’s taking place with him. He’s always been hungry for it.”
The comments track with what All-Pro Reels saw on the field across all three days of minicamp — extended reps for younger players and backups, and a coaching staff clearly using the spring to get a longer look at roster depth before camp. See our full day-by-day coverage from Day One and Day Two of minicamp.
The Commanders now have a break before reporting for training camp in late July, when Quinn and the staff will get their first extended look at how these spring gains translate to padded practices.