Commanders Training Camp Notebook: Another Tight End Injury, Fumble Issues Return

Intensity ramped up on Friday, with mixed results.

ASHBURN, Va. -- In the final Washington Commanders practice before Saturday evening's FedEx Field event, we saw the pads come on, more intensity, and a mixed bag of results. 

Here's three observations from a physical practice, where the defense can say they came away the winners of the day ...

MORE DAMAGE TO THE TIGHT END GROUP

Logan Thomas was a known injury in the tight end group before camp, John Bates has been working his way back from a calf ailment since before pads went on, and on Friday fifth-round draft pick Cole Turner went down with what appeared to be a hamstring issue, leaving the field for treatment shortly after. 

Cole Turner headed off the practice field after coming up holding his hamstring after an early rep in team drills. Logan Thomas and John Bates have been out as well, which makes Curtis Hodges your TE1 for the moment…

— David Harrison (@DHarrison82) August 5, 2022

Curtis Hodges and Sammis Reyes did a solid job as the new top tight ends of the group on Friday, but nobody is interested in seeing yet another playmaker shelved from what is widely thought of as quarterback Carson Wentz's favorite group to target. 

Now it doesn't seem serious, and Turner did eventually rejoin his teammates on the sideline, although we didn't see him in drills again. 

After practice, coach Ron Rivera said Reyes tweaked his hamstring a bit as well.

Something to keep an eye on moving forward. 

ADD THE MAYO

David Mayo was noticeably present during some of the first team work on Day 9, into the formation where Jamin Davis would normally fill the second linebacker role next to Cole Holcomb. 

Now this may be instructional, something we've seen happen with second-year cornerback Benjamin St-Juste as well. 

Although St-Juste is fairly solidified as the starting nickel back, Danny Johnson will come in from time to time so defensive backs coach Chris Harris can continue to tutor his young player. 

This may have been a package situation, especially since the Commanders were doing a lot of work on run game offense and defense, and goal line sets.

Something to note, just not something to panic about yet.

BALL SECURITY ISSUES...AGAIN

Twice the football hit the ground after quarterback Carson Wentz tried to hand it off to starting running back Antonio Gibson. 

Hard to tell if it has been an exchange issue or not but… Antonio Gibson with two fumbles today in full team work. Lost ball quick; can be hard to see if quick pop or bad handoff. Bottom line: lost both.

— John Keim (@john_keim) August 5, 2022

Like ESPN's John Keim pointed out, it was hard to tell fully what the deficiency was, but we had a really good view of the first one which was an exchange issue and appeared to me that Gibson brought his top forearm across the ball instead of over it to cradle and secure it. 

In the stat box, it would go down as a fumble on Wentz, but functionally, the running back needs to get the arms open and bring the ball in. 

We didn't get as good a look at the second one, but either way, the defense came up with both drops. 

Not a good sign when you remember Gibson led the NFL in fumbles, and he's the only back we've seen this camp with these exchange issues with Wentz. 

It's only one day, but every player is bound to have a rough practice here and there. 

Saturday we hit double-digit practices and the Commanders will be in pads at FedEx Field where they expect a strong fan showing, something that's been improving in Ashburn over the past week or so.