A new head coach means there will be a new way of doing things, and one of the several changes Dan Quinn has made leading the Washington Commanders roster is how the team handles its captains.
Rather than having one group for the entire season, the Commanders captain group will feature a rotating cast of players each week. On Friday, Quinn revealed the first group of captains for the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: defensive end Clelin Ferrell, wide receiver Terry McLaurin and safety Jeremy Reaves.
"I thought they really represented the standard that the team created on their own," Quinn said.
Quinn first learned about the approach of naming different captains each week from former San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh and thought it was "a great way to recognize some people for the work that they put in." Plus, rather than picking just a few players for the entire season, having a rotating group of captain helps recognize that the entire roster is full of players who possess those qualities.
"It gives some recognition and gives some leadership into that spot," Quinn said. "That's why I thought the guys this week were in such a good space."
Quinn also sees it as a way of acknowledging that not everyone leads with the same tactics.
"There could be some guys that are in the weight room that man, if you want to go train, this is who you go with," Quinn said. "In the meeting rooms, somebody's more engaging than others. 'Hey coach, run that back. We got to see this again.' And then there's out on the field or in the locker room, so the different voices of how you do it."
McLaurin and Reaves have long been mainstays of the Commanders roster. McLaurin, a third-round pick in 2019, has established himself as one of the more reliable wideouts in the league, recording four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. His approach to the game, which involves constantly evaluating himself and how he can improve, has impressed his new coaching staff and made him a strong example for his teammates.
"I thought this is a hungry guy, a real pro's pro and we can't wait to see him do his thing," Quinn said of McLaurin.
Reaves, who moved back and forth between the practice squad and active roster for years before making the initial 53-man roster in 2022, has become one of the best special teams players in the NFL, earning First Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl after his 2022 campaign.
"I think Jeremy brings a lot to everybody in our building and just the way his energy, his support of that," Quinn said.
Ferrell, the No. 4 overall pick in 2019, started a full season for the first time in his career in 2023. He signed with Washington during the offseason and has played with the starting lineup since OTAs. While he hasn't drawn as much attention as some of the other free agent acquisitions, Ferrell has been reliable in practice, helping fill run gaps and crash the pocket.
"The word came to mind was this guy is a warrior and everybody knows what the tape's gonna look like when he is out there," Quinn said of Ferrell. "It's tough, it's all out."
Next week, the Commanders will have a different set of captains for their home opener against the New York Giants. Whoever Quinn ends up picking will earn that title, just as Reaves, McLaurin and Ferrell did.
"I would take those three to battle any day, any place and so I thought that's really cool," Quinn said."
