ASHBURN, VA (WTKR)- Training camp can get a little monotonous for NFL players- rep after rep against your own teammate for several straight weeks.
Wednesday saw the Commanders finally get a look at players in a different color jersey.
The Miami Dolphins joined Washington at team headquarters in Ashburn for a joint practice ahead of Friday's preseason game. It marked a chance to measure where things stand and put some players in situations against a true opponent.
"It felt like real football today," smiled safety Jeremy Reaves. "When you get to come compete against somebody else other than the same guys you see every day it adds a little bit to it. You can feel the excitement. It was fun. It was good to see the guys in their natural element."
"We kind of take a step back on our own offense," cornerback Amik Robertson added. "We compete. Dan Quinn, hell of a leader, he's going to make sure we complete, but smart. Out here, it's all blood, we wanted to dominate."
The two sides hit the field for about two hours and went through a handful of game scenarios. Going into the day, Quinn hoped to see quality reps in numerous game situations and maximize work and efficiency.
"I wanted to get a little bit of everything against competition," the head coach noted. "They're not long periods. You're going to see things move quickly- 10 plays, 12 plays- in the sets. But if you can get as many of the scenarios and situations as you can, I think for the players that's a big deal."
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It all leads up to Friday's preseason showdown between the Commanders and Dolphins at Northwest Stadium. Quinn said earlier this week that who gets the most reps in the game will be determined in part by who played the most during the joint practice so they can evaluate as many players against competition as they can. Reaves says the preseason is a great chance for young guys to make an impression. That's how he scratched his way onto the roster and took advantage of his opportunity.
"It's the ultimate way to prove yourself, not only to the team here, but to all 31 other teams in the league," Reaves pointed out. "I tell these young guys all the time, the preseason is an opportunity. Don't take it for granted."
You can watch the Commanders face the Dolphins Friday at 7 p.m. on WTKR.
Here are some observations from Wednesday's joint practice:
Jayden Daniels looked comfortable and accurate. I didn't get to see all of his reps, but the ones I did see were solid. He and Terry McLaurin connected on a handful of deep balls.
The defensive line was the talk of post practice. The unit got pressure on Miami QB's throughout the day. "It makes playing the pass so much easier," Reaves said of watching the line from the defensive backfield. "You don't have to take false steps because you know that they've got that taken care of."
Mike Sainristil came up with a pick-six on Liberty product Malik Willis, who is probably number one on Miami's depth chart at QB.
Kickers Jake Moody and Drew Stevens bounced back from rough showings earlier this week. Both connected on all six of their field goal attempts during live field goal work, with their respective final boots coming from 60 yards out.
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