ASHBURN, VA (WTKR)- What a difference a year has made for Jalyn Holmes.
From New York with the Jets, to the nation's capital to the NFC Championship game, it's been a wild ride for the Lake Taylor product. This past March, the Commanders officially gave him the chance to stay in burgundy and gold with a fresh new contract.
"I was very thrilled, man, just to be back home," Holmes said. "Being back close to the 757 is always a good thing, but to be back in a good group of D-lineman and to be back under Coach [Dan Quinn], it's just a blessing."
The former Titan wasted no time finding his footing upon arriving in Washington last season. After being released by the Jets, he was signed by the Commanders on October 16 and appeared in 11 games for the team, tallying 14 total tackles and two sacks. Now he's working on taking the next step.
"Just preparation," Holmes said on how he's a different player than he was last year. "Preparation mentally, physically and spiritually, just enhancing that and I feel like that's going to make be a better player this year."
"He's a fun teammate, great person to be around," linebacker Bobby Wagner added on Holmes. "I think he definitely adds to this culture, but he's a playmaker, very strong, always active in the backfield and he brings life to this defense."
With success comes higher standards. After a 12-5 season and falling one win short of a Super Bowl in 2024, outside expectations are bold for this year's group. The former Lake Taylor star points out that the experience helps, but the mindset hasn't changed.
"We know what it takes to do it," the Norfolk native said. "We've always had the hunter mentality so no matter what media can say, we haven't won a game yet and we haven't lost one, but we've still got that hunter mentality regardless of the scope."
The Commanders will wrap up mandatory minicamp Thursday and as they finish up their offseason workouts, they're focused on making sure the team is here to stay among the NFL's best.
"It's been a great vibe just picking up where we left off," Holmes noted. "There's a lot more on the plate for us to eat, but just glad to be back with the fellas. It's just a great place to be and I think we've got a chance to win it all."
Being close to Norfolk allows Holmes to continue giving back to his community. He'll get right to work after minicamp wraps up, holding his defensive lineman camp and community day this Friday and Saturday. It's all part of his Vaughn's Way Foundation, named after his late stepfather and focused on mental health. We'll have more on those events this week leading up to the weekend.
