The Washington Commanders made a major roster move days before the official cut day on Aug. 27, sending 2022 first-rounder Jahan Dotson and a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in a rare in-division trade in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round picks.

While it might come as a surprise for some, there were signs throughout camp that Washington was considering the move, or at least trying to push Dotson to show he could create a role for himself in the new offense. Head coach Dan Quinn said the team was "right in the middle" of the battle for the No. 2 receiver spot, which many assumed belonged to Dotson, and Dotson played well into the second quarter of the preseason game against the New York Jets, when most of Washington's starters were done for the day.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said in his post-practice press conference that he enjoyed working with Dotson and wished him the best going forward, but he's also excited about what this means for the rest of the receivers still on the roster.

"I'm very confident," Kingsbury said. "They've made a bunch of plays so far in camp. I've been impressed with how they've gotten better since the spring and continue to improve. Very hard-working, competitive room."

The Commanders have 12 receivers currently on the 90-man roster, and while Terry McLaurin's status as the top option has never been in doubt, how the rest of the group -- and where the players will land on the depth chart -- is unclear.

There are some players who have certainly earned a roster spot, though. Olamide Zaccheaus, who signed with the team in April, has developed solid chemistry with quarterback Jayden Daniels partially because of how much he knows about the offense. Aside from also catching punts in the preseason games, Zaccheaus has a knack for getting yards after the catch and navigating blockers on screens.

"He answers the ball on every snap," Kingsbury said. "Whether he's running routes or asked to block or dig out safeties. That's really jumped out on film."

Perhaps the player with the most impressive jump has been 2021 third-round pick Dyami Brown. There were many who questioned his role in the new system, based partly on his struggles to consistently replicate his ability to make the contested and explosive catches that he had in college. Those questions seem to be nonexistent now, as he has regularly been a reliable target for Daniels and backup Marcus Mariota.

Brown's preseason resume is highlighted by his 42-yard grab against the New York Jets, but he also caught three passes for 19 yards against the Dolphins, including a third-down reception in tight coverage.

"I thought you've seen some big plays from Dyami through this training camp," Quinn said. "There's actually some in the spring that got my attention, to say, 'Okay what's there?' And his ability to get on top of people and stay. He's got size, he's got length, so there's actually a good play in the one-on-ones that transferred into the game to go."

Others, like 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey, have also shown value in the offense since OTAs. McCaffrey had a strong offseason program but has had a quieter camp. Still, the Commanders like his route running, which uniquely developed for a rookie, as well as his versatility. The team also tried him out at punt returner against the Dolphins to see if he can add more competition to that position.

The rest of the receivers on the roster have flashed at times but still need to show more to earn a spot on the initial 53. Players like Brycen Tremayne, Mitchell Tinsley, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and Davion Davis have had their moments, particularly Tremayne with his multiple explosive plays downfield. Dotson being traded does open up more opportunities for them, but it also means they will need to show out in the preseason game against the New England Patriots to prove why they deserve to stick around.

For those players, Kingsbury wants to see them exemplify Quinn's physical, competitive style that he has stressed throughout camp. That certainly means making the most of their catches, but he also wants to see them play hard even if they aren't the intended target on a play.

"That's what we preach," Kingsbury said. "Everybody's gonna run routes and make catches at this level, but how do you play without the ball? ... That's kind of the secret sauce that takes you to the next level."

Here are some observations from Thursday's practice:

-- The offense started off slow yesterday with two pass breakups to start 11-on-11 drills. Today, however, things went much smoother, as Daniels hit McCaffrey in the end zone for a touchdown. Brian Robinson Jr. followed that up with a touchdown run, and Daniels went on to connect with Zach Ertz for a score.

-- Later in the day, Austin Ekeler showed off his speed by catching a wide-open pass from Daniels on the right side of the field. The play was blown dead, but Ekeler finished by running into the end zone anyway, and there weren't any defenders around to stop him.

-- Tyler Owens continues to show up in camp, as he had a pass breakup in the end zone. Owens, an undrafted free agent from Texas Tech, is considered by many to be a strong candidate for a roster spot. Another solid performance against the Patriots could help seal things up for him.

-- There was a heavy emphasis on outside runs and passes today. Near the end of practice, Benjamin St-Juste did a nice job of sealing off the sideline against Robinson, who was forced to turn back inside and take a few hits from St-Juste's teammates.

-- It's become expected for Frankie Luvu to come down with a big play in practice. He managed to grab an interception from Jeff Driskel today, which earned a few cheers from the defense.

-- Finally, the team finished the day by going through a two-minute drill. It didn't take long for the starting offense to score though, because after Daniels opened things up with a pass to McCaffrey, he found Ertz open behind the secondary for the touchdown.