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Is there anyone more plugged in to the Washington Commanders training camp than John Keim? He joined this morning’s show to highlight his biggest takeaways from day one of Washington’s camp.
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00:00John Kime, Commander's Reporter for ESPN. I'm sure he's been in Ashburn for a while already.
00:06Good morning, John. How are you?
00:09What up, fellas? I would have been here earlier if not for the car on Route 7 going east
00:16that refused to go faster than the car in the other lane, so therefore backed everybody up for a while.
00:21But not that I'm upset about that. It's annoying. It was for miles.
00:25So if you're driving in a white SUV and listening to this, thank you.
00:30It was for miles the dude did this. Come on, man.
00:33What time do you usually get to the park for camp?
00:38There's an 8 o'clock presser with Quinn, so I like to get here before 7.30.
00:42When the fans come, I'll get here earlier.
00:46Right, right, right. And the fans are out there for the first day on Saturday, correct?
00:51So, John, I'm on your Twitter, and I'm looking at the video you posted yesterday
00:55of Terry McLaurin just doing what he does, like helping young receivers after the practice is done.
01:01He's basically playing cornerback, you know, and they're working on routes down near the end zone.
01:06Like, what a quality human being, a great teammate he is.
01:09He doesn't have to do that, but he just wants his teammates to get better.
01:12He wants to impart his wisdom to the younger guys trying to make a name for themselves in the league.
01:17Great to see him doing that and being present for the first day of practice.
01:20As opposed to last year.
01:21Unlike last year.
01:23Yeah, I think there's a massive difference when he's there and when he's not.
01:27I mean, we know the impact in games and all that.
01:29You can see that, but also just on a day-to-day basis.
01:33And he's not, you know, he's not Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, guys like that, right?
01:40But he has developed, but he is a, you know, he's a good leader.
01:43But it's not like Bobby was a everything, right?
01:47But Terry has become more and more of that.
01:49And I think he always had a leader by example, et cetera, how he worked.
01:53But as he's gotten older, he's imparted more and more of that wisdom.
01:57And you see that.
01:58And, like, these were two guys that right now you would say they're probably not going to make the roster.
02:04At least, like, not the 53-man, probably practice squad.
02:07But yet, he's out there working with them, right?
02:10And so, but it's the energy he brings in many, many ways.
02:14Like, there was a play that Quinn talked about in the spring where he's sprinting down the field to congratulate
02:21Jeremy McNichols on a nice catch along the sidelines in the spring.
02:24And it's like it just kind of sets a tone that they carried in the offseason, right?
02:27Like, when you see a guy doing that, it really does kind of rub off.
02:31And there were, I know that they missed that energy during practice last summer.
02:35I mean, it was very evident to him and to others.
02:39John, you touched on Bobby Wagner and his departure leaves a big leadership void.
02:44And we heard Jaden Daniels basically saying, look, this is my team now.
02:48I'm ready to step in there and be the leader that this team needs.
02:51Even, you know, he's not an old player, but he's a veteran now heading into year three.
02:55That's the sort of thing you want to see from your franchise quarterback.
02:59It is.
03:00And the one thing I say, like, here, they – and they always talk about, like, letting it grow organically
03:05with his leadership and not forcing it upon him.
03:08So having guys like Wagner and Zach Ertz and Austin Eckler, you know, proven vets who work a certain way
03:14and conduct themselves a certain way really made a difference.
03:17But especially Bobby.
03:18Like, those two were very close, like a big brother relationship.
03:22And they would sit next to each other in team meetings.
03:25They would – their lockers were by each other, and they were always ragging on each other.
03:29So, like, when – you know, so, like, the first couple years, it was that.
03:33But you could – you've heard – everything I've heard about him this summer or this offseason has been, like,
03:39he was always mature.
03:39He was always a certain way.
03:41But that it's a little bit more now.
03:43And I think you see that with organizing get-togethers with the receivers out in L.A.
03:50You know, one thing I've heard about and wrote about a little bit was he and Marcus Mariota organizing film
03:56sessions with the receivers in the spring.
03:58I don't know how often they did that, but it was not something they've done in the past in the
04:02spring, in the season, yes.
04:04But those are all, like, little steps.
04:06And the coaches here, when they have, like, the GoPro, they can hear the audio and how he's instructing people
04:12at the line, et cetera.
04:13So, I think he's always understood what his role as a franchise quarterback is.
04:19I think he's growing into it more and more.
04:21So, J.K., you know, we've talked about McLaurin.
04:25I know we've asked you about Ayuk a billion times before, and you can say what you want.
04:29But do you feel like – and DQ and Peters did talk about the wide receiver room before camp started
04:36yesterday.
04:36And they said they were very happy with it when J.P. Finley was asking about the social media aspect,
04:44right?
04:44It was pretty funny.
04:45But do you feel like, deep down, do you feel like they're still in play for – maybe not Ayuk,
04:52but another receiver that is unsigned right now?
04:55Oh, yeah.
04:55Stephon Diggs.
04:56Okay.
04:57All right, it's Diggs.
04:57All right.
04:58Yeah.
04:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:59I don't think there's anybody else other than him that would be a possibility at this point.
05:03And I'm not going to discuss any – you know, like, at this point, nobody else is free that I
05:09think would tempt them.
05:10And I think some people who may come free later have not helped themselves this offseason in the last month
05:17and a half in particular.
05:19What are they waiting for, though, John, with Diggs?
05:21What are they waiting?
05:22Just do it.
05:22Get them in there sooner rather than later, right?
05:25Well, no team has brought them in.
05:26So what does that usually signal?
05:28The player wants too much?
05:30Want too much cash?
05:31The player wants more than what he's being offered.
05:33So, you know, and whatever – and I don't even know, like, what's fair or what's not, right?
05:37But, like, usually when a guy's not signed, it's going to come down to the right offer either has to
05:43kind of accept whatever or hope that somebody else maybe adds more to the total.
05:49But – so that's usually the case.
05:51And I don't know in particular, you know, sometimes – usually for veterans, like, you don't always want to get
05:57in there too early, you know, but you need to get in there now.
06:04Right.
06:05Yeah, but usually it comes down to that.
06:07Debo is still out there.
06:08They've obviously decided to move on, right?
06:12Yeah, because they have guys who can do what he does.
06:15And so, yeah, like I said, Diggs would be the one guy because he gives you – and he's a
06:20proven – he'd be a proven guy for you, strong number two, opposite Terry.
06:26So, yeah.
06:27What about – how did Antonio look?
06:29I heard some positive reports.
06:30To me, it jumps out at you.
06:32Like, even an average person can see how he runs his routes, I think, at an elite level, gets separation.
06:37I think some of that was visible even on day one, no?
06:40Yeah, no.
06:41He definitely – he has quicks, and he can separate as well because of that.
06:46And I think he's going to be a strong underneath guy.
06:48I don't – like, you know, it's funny because he does have good speed and quickness, but I think he's
06:52got a lot of quickness that can help underneath and create the run after the catch that they're looking for.
06:58So, that's where you see it, and the sharp cuts on some of the shorter routes.
07:03But, yeah, that's – that he – you know, we'll see how it develops.
07:07And what I'd like to see is, like, if they do more of this is one-on-ones with corners
07:11and receivers.
07:12They don't – they haven't always done it as much with Quinn as they have with others.
07:16But that's – you know, that's where I think can you see a little bit more of that in those
07:20sessions.
07:21But that's what he offers.
07:22So, they gave $100 million to O.A., and, you know, first impressions on the first day of understanding is
07:29he a defense – you know, past defense, you had what would have been a sack if they were playing
07:35real games, kind of made his presence felt.
07:37And that's what you pay $100 million for.
07:40Yeah, and, I mean, what we saw yesterday was an extension of what we're seeing in the spring.
07:44Like, nothing was different yesterday because the pads still aren't on.
07:48And so, what we saw – what we were watching yesterday is, like, what – shorts and helmet was what
07:52we saw in the spring, and you saw that then, too.
07:55Like, you see the speed, little things, like, on the pass rush, but it's also – there was one play
07:59in the spring where they're defending, like, a zone read.
08:04And you could – like, Jaden tries to get outside, but he can't because O.A. was able to chase
08:10and get to him.
08:11And there were a couple – I think it was someone else there with him on that one, but, like,
08:14you just saw it, like, wow, that's different.
08:16I mean, he was, like, a 4-3-something guy, 4-4 guy at his combine.
08:21So, yeah, you can definitely feel that.
08:23And I think the other thing with that group is the versatility of it and the flexibility it gives them
08:30to give different looks and do different things.
08:32And so, I think that'll be a thing to watch.
08:36How effective it is, we'll see, but that's going to be something to watch.
08:38How impressive was Sonny Stiles in day one of his training camp?
08:43And do you think he's the leader in the clubhouse early to get the green dot to call defensive plays?
08:48Or is that responsibility going elsewhere?
08:51I don't know what to say.
08:52I think right now, I think it'd be hard – I think they feel good with him with that.
08:56But I think you still have to see is how many – the number of packages the guy will be
09:00in.
09:00And I think, like, right now, like, Frankie Mubu is out there all the time.
09:04So, he would be the natural one.
09:07But Sonny eventually would be the guy because that's what he was drafted for.
09:11And I think that's the role he would fill very well.
09:15How he looked yesterday, again, he was fine.
09:19I don't know that there was anything that jumped out to me necessarily.
09:22And I only watched him a handful of plays.
09:25But, again, like with him, you see speed, athleticism, length, all that stuff,
09:30which is what they drafted him – the reason they drafted him.
09:34I think with the green dot stuff, the benefits for him is he's a very clear communicator.
09:39He's smart.
09:40And it's not just – as Quinn will say, it's not just relaying the plays in the huddle.
09:45It's also, hey, don't forget to tell this guy this.
09:48Don't forget to tell this guy that.
09:49But I also – I think there's a lot of focus on the green dot.
09:54But I think they have guys who can do it fine.
09:56So, I don't know that it's a huge – you know, at this point, like, is it a huge issue?
10:01Not really.
10:02But it is – it will be a part of his development for sure.
10:05At some point, he'll wear it.
10:07J.K., do you have any info on Allegretti and why he left early?
10:10No.
10:11Not yet?
10:11No, we'll find out in a few minutes.
10:12We'll get to Quinn in a few minutes.
10:14But I know – I don't know.
10:18I know he was getting an update checked out by the doctors, I guess, yesterday.
10:21I don't know that it was anything severe that's, you know, initially.
10:26However, we'll find out.
10:27Like, I don't want to say anything because I don't fully know.
10:30And like I said, Quinn will be talking in a couple minutes.
10:32We'll get him done.
10:33Hey, John, kind of an under-the-radar signing late, right before training camp,
10:37was Rasul Douglas.
10:38I saw the quote in your column, basically, when he was asked what one element he has.
10:43The defense's quote was, turnovers.
10:46That's what I do.
10:47And kind of an eye-popping number.
10:49He's got 21 intercepted passes in his career,
10:52and this defense desperately needs that heading into 2026.
10:57They do.
10:57And the thing – and it's funny, he did ask him, like, you know,
11:02you have a reputation of being good in zone.
11:04He goes, well, who said that?
11:05I said, well, a lot of people I talked to, he goes, people?
11:07I'm like, this is a compliment?
11:09But it was kind of funny.
11:10So – but he is very – he has a reputation as being very good in zone coverage,
11:15and that's because, you know, it's like the way he likes reading the quarterback.
11:19And so that's, I think, a big reason why he's here.
11:22He has the length, which I felt like they needed more of that
11:26because, like, Mikey Samerstill and Amik Robertson,
11:29I think they both add something, but they don't have length.
11:32And so you had Trey Amos, who's good length, but they need another guy like that.
11:37So – and that's Rasul Douglas.
11:39And he was a guy that they were talking to in the spring as well,
11:41and that's where I know, like, the money at the time was not right.
11:45But he does – he is good in zone.
11:48And, like, talking to people in Miami last year,
11:50they felt he was – that he did a nice job there signing late.
11:54So I think, you know, it sounds like a – this is a defense that will play a lot of
11:59zones,
11:59so it makes it a better fit.
12:01Was there any kicking thing to quantify yesterday?
12:06No.
12:07No, nothing.
12:08In fact, they lined up in the kick game, and they did – but they weren't kicking.
12:13It was more just, like, execution on field goal blocking and field goal rush.
12:19But it was – they were not kicking yesterday.
12:21So nothing there.
12:22And, you know, that's going to be, obviously, one to watch with Moody and Stevens.
12:26I just think it's – I think Stevens is going to have to have, obviously, a very strong camp.
12:31If you want to make it as an undrafted guy to earn that trust,
12:36you're going to have to be close to perfect, and the games will obviously dictate.
12:40Because it's – you know, you kind of forget, like, Moody, when he came out,
12:44was way more accomplished.
12:46And it's taken him three years to even have what was a good year last year.
12:50He's 18 for 20.
12:52But, you know, if you're going to unseat a guy who has at least a couple years' experience,
12:57you better be very, very good.
13:00And Moody's going to have to take a stumble.
13:03Right.
13:03Right.
13:03Yeah.
13:03Gotcha.
13:04Step backwards.
13:05John, we know you're super busy.
13:06We appreciate the time.
13:07Looking forward to day two of training camp and all of your notes that you'll have on ESPN.com
13:12and on your Twitter.
13:14Thanks for the time, man.
13:14Thank you, John.
13:16Thanks, guys.
13:16See you, bud.
13:17That's John Kime, Commander's Reporter for ESPN.
13:20He is already out at Ashburn.
13:22Day two of practice for training camp will get underway a bit later today.
13:27Coming up next, Bob Nightingale, Odyssey MLB insider.
13:30He'll join the junks next.
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