Washington Commanders Secondary Communicating, Gelling In Early Days of Training Camp
![Washington Commanders defensive backs (left to right) Tyler Owens, Tariq Castro-Fields, Christian Holmes, and Darrick Forrest. Washington Commanders defensive backs (left to right) Tyler Owens, Tariq Castro-Fields, Christian Holmes, and Darrick Forrest.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_962,h_541,x_117,y_362/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/commander_country/01j3wjn7rrrc0adxdfwz.jpg)
ASHBURN, Va. -- It's no secret the 2023 Washington Commanders pass defense left a lot to be desired.
Some of the lack of pass defense came from the equally present pass rush deficiency, and a lot has been laid at the feet of former Commanders and coaches no longer with the organization.
No matter the cause, the new-look Washington football team - and coaches - are looking to prove it wasn't a full-on talent deficiency that led to the poor play on the field. And one week into training camp this new secondary is not only talking more, but feeling on the same page more than ever.
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"A lot of communication and then we're just all jelling no matter who's in," Commanders cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields said when asked about some of the ways the group is improving in this season's camp. "Whether it's (safety Jeremy) Chinn back there with (safety Percy Butler) or (safety Jeremy Reaves) back there with (safety) Quan (Martin), you name it...(communication is) real important. Just make sure everybody is on the same page (and) that you're going to play faster as long as the person to the left or right knows what they're doing, (and) you know what you're doing. You're going to play with confidence and you're going to fly around, which is the most important thing."
Through three practices the whole team has been flying around, but until the third day, it was the Washington offense making the majority of the highlight-worthy plays.
On Friday, the third practice of camp, the tides turned a bit toward the defense as the unit picked off quarterback Jayden Daniels for the first time and stiffled several offensive efforts in team drills.
It was a good way for the defense to wrap up the first week, and a good exit to try and get the second week going strong on Sunday when the team returns to the practice field. This time with Commanders fans in attendance to add another layer to an already high-energy environment.
READ MORE: Best Quotes From Day 3 of Washington Commanders Training Camp
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