For the first time since 2018, the Washington Commanders will be part of a joint practice with another NFL team. The Baltimore Ravens will host the Commanders at their team facility, the Under Armour Performance Center, in Owings Mills, Maryland, for practices on August 15 and 16.
The practices will culminate with a preseason game on Aug. 21 between the two teams at the Commanders’ home stadium, FedEx Field, in Landover, Maryland.
The joint practices are the first for the Commanders during the Ron Rivera era. Washington previously practiced with the New England Patriots in 2014, Houston Texans in 2015, and the New York Jets in 2018.
Rivera stated in January, the Commanders would have a joint practice with a team. He’d preferred to have one before, however, it hadn’t worked out logistically. His first year was during the COVID pandemic in 2020. With no partners in 2021 or 2022, the Commanders sought a team to link with.
Practicing with the Ravens makes a lot of sense. The Commanders’ headquarters in Ashburn Park, Virginia, is about two hours from the Ravens’ facility. The two are preseason rivals and share the state of Maryland for their home games.
The Ravens enter the 2023-24 season with the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson inked a five-year, $260 million contract with $135 million guaranteed at signing last month. The 2019 NFL MVP has two new shiny weapons in veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round draft pick wide receiver Zay Flowers.
Jackson will learn a new offense under first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who recently won back-to-back national championships heading the Georgia Bulldogs’ offense.
Meanwhile, the Commanders enter the preseason with a less proven quarterback. Washington is turning over the keys of the offense to last year’s fifth-round draft pick, Sam Howell. Howell has one start — Week 18 of 2022 against the Dallas Cowboys.
However, Rivera and his staff have confidence in Howell. Washington also has veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett as an insurance policy.
The Commanders also have a new offensive coordinator with a championship pedigree. Washington was able to lure Eric Bieniemy from Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs after winning a second Super Bowl in four seasons.
Given the new trend of resting starters in the preseason, the two joint practices will be where the Ravens and Commanders best players compete against each other.
