New Vibe Around Washington Commanders 'Is Refreshing', Like Playing for a 'New Team'

3rd year offensive tackle Alex Akingbulu says it's like a whole new team playing for the Washington Commanders this season.

Washington Commanders tackle Alex Akingbulu says, "it is refreshing," with all the changes around the team including head coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels. / USA Today

You'd think a No. 2 overall quarterback selection would be the most talked about football item around the Washington Commanders but if there's one thing being talked about more its the new vibe around the organization as a whole.

That's not to say quarterback Jayden Daniels isn't getting his fair share of press, because he certainly is, but the changes around the Commanders go way beyond a new quarterback.

For third-year offensive tackle Alex Akingbulu, the changes in Washington make him feel like he's on a whole new team, even though the zip code hasn't changed.

READ MORE: Commanders Receiver Terry McLaurin and 49ers Star Brandon Aiyuk Would 'Mesh Well'

Washington Commanders tackle Alex Akingbulu says, "it is refreshing," with all the changes around the team including head coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels. / USA Today

"The best way I could put it is it's like getting traded to a new team, but you're in the same city and honestly it is refreshing,"

- Alex Akingbulu, Washington Commanders OT

"The best way I could put it is it's like getting traded to a new team, but you're in the same city and honestly it is refreshing," Akingbulu said during a recent appearance on the Locked On Commanders podcast. "I'm going to be honest. Coach (Dan) Quinn came in and set the tone. Day one, he set the standard. We literally came up with the standard as a team. It wasn't just a coach telling us, 'Yo, this is what we're going to do.' ...So it is been a great process so far and I'm very excited to continue the journey that we're kind of building together and all the coaches that they've added on to have the same vision that he has. ...OTAs was probably like two, three months, but you can already tell we've already bonded a good amount of time. We bonded way more than you would think in those months for sure. So I'm excited."

One of those vibe-changing adjustments being made under coach Quinn and his staff is somewhat simplistic, but incredibly effective in getting the team charged up to start even the most basic of practices. The call it, 'bags,' and the objective of the drill is high energy.

The Washington Commanders are getting practice started these days with their 'bags drill' - a good way of getting the blood flowing and competition fired up. Coach Dan Quinn said its, "a way to bring energy to start something." pic.twitter.com/maoXOEZDJi

— David Harrison (@DHarrison82) May 13, 2024

"You would think it's silly and outside looking in, you would think it's silly, but I promise you, when you're in those environments and you start off strong like that, mentally most of it is a mental game. We're not doing it to physically go over bags. If you think that's all we're doing, then you've missed the point completely. It's a whole mental game," Akingbulu said about the drill. "When you start fast in anything you do, football or not, you will finish at a better position 100 percent. So I love it, man. I feel like that's something you can do when you wake up in the morning, even if it's not to that extent, but it is pretty much that same feeling when you wake up. You need a shock to really get your day started."

If there was a way to visualize the mental shift happening with the Commanders today that drill would probably be it. Team-focused, high energy, competitive, and executed as one.

When Akingbulu isn't on the field he's an award-winning recording artist with his group YDN.

---

READ MORE: Commanders Roster Ranked in Bottom 10

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

More Washington Commanders News

• College Player Washington Fans Should Watch in 2024

• Jayden Daniels Grilled by Giants on Hard Knocks

• Commanders Have Two Top-Ranked LBs

• Washington History Brought Back in 2024 Uniform Update

• Commanders Roster Bottom 10 In NFL