The Washington Commanders have scheduled three preseason games this summer, all against teams from the AFC East. They will face the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets in their preseason matchups. However, with the NFL adopting a 17-game schedule, the number of preseason games has been reduced to three. This decision has meant fewer opportunities for players trying to secure a spot on the team roster to showcase their skills in game situations. As a result, more teams have started organizing joint practices with their preseason opponents to evaluate players in a competitive setting.
Recently, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel announced that his team would be participating in at least one joint practice with the Commanders. McDaniel’s connection to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn from their time together in Atlanta likely played a role in this decision. Similarly, Jets head coach Robert Saleh confirmed that his team would also be holding joint practices with the Commanders, though the exact number of practices was not specified.
Saleh mentioned that the Jets would be holding joint practices with both the Commanders and Panthers last summer. The Commanders had previously engaged in joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens leading to speculation about whether similar arrangements would be made with other teams this year. It will be interesting to see how these joint practices impact the preseason performances of both teams.
With fewer opportunities for players trying to secure a spot on the team roster through preseason games alone, joint practices have become increasingly important for evaluating talent. These practices provide an opportunity for players to compete against different opponents and showcase their skills under pressure.
In conclusion, while there may be fewer opportunities for players trying to secure a spot on the team roster through preseason games alone due to changes in scheduling, joint practices have become increasingly important for evaluating talent. It will be interesting to see how these joint practices impact both teams as they prepare for their upcoming regular season matches.
