The Washington Commanders had a night to forget on Friday. The New England Patriots whipped the Commanders 48-18 in the preseason opener for both teams. Things started badly for Washington as Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson took the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

It only got worse from there. The Commanders struggled to stop the run, had trouble catching the ball, turning the ball over and penalties. Washington was bad in all three phases. The 13 penalties for 98 yards had head coach Dan Quinn angry after the game.

So, despite the bad, was there any good from the game? Yes. Here are six players who stood out in Friday’s game.

The second-year defensive tackle was very active. Despite not playing the entire game, Newton finished with three tackles, including one for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He did this against New England’s first-string offensive line, too. Newton has had a quiet offseason and training camp. Some people take that as an indication that he’s struggled. That’s not the case. With so much of the focus on Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw, Newton flies under the radar. If this was any indication of what to expect from Newton in 2025, Washington should be excited.

Amos is one of the players who has consistently received praise throughout training camp. The rookie cornerback plays with confidence, is physical at the line of scrimmage and is not afraid to stick his nose in run support. On one drive against the Patriots, Amos had excellent coverage on a deep ball, forcing an incompletion. Later on the same drive, Amos broke through the line to drop the running back for a loss. It’s safe to say Amos will begin the season in the starting lineup for Washington.

Brooks was the star of camp over the first few days. That pace has slowed down considerably, but the undrafted rookie has had a strong camp overall. On Friday, Brooks led the Commanders on five receptions for 59 yards — on five targets. It was a good time to have a good night, with veteran Chris Moore struggling. Brooks needs to stack these types of performances up to make the team.

The seventh-round rookie from Arizona has been the talk of camp. While some of it is due to his nickname (Bill) Croskey-Merritt carried the ball seven times for 24 yards. No, those numbers won’t blow you away, but just watch Bill here.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt just showed off his cutting ability and power on consecutive runs.

This is why he’s been the talk of camp. pic.twitter.com/S42jbXETjf

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) August 9, 2025

It’s easy to see why everyone loves Croskey-Merritt. He has the size, speed, vision and power to become a starting running back for years. Croskey-Merritt is making the 53-man roster. That’s not a question. But how long before Washington makes him active on game days?

The former first-round pick has turned his career around with the Commanders. Igbinoghene can play the slot or outside without missing a beat. Igbinoghene had a good night. He had five tackles and broke up one pass. Considering he’s Washington’s No. 5 corner, it’s clear how much GM Adam Peters has upgraded the roster over the past year. Igbinoghene was terrific on Friday, but did allow a couple of plays before his exit. Washington has five cornerbacks it can trust to start. Undrafted rookie CB Car’lin Vigers was also active on Friday night.

The biggest knock on Medrano coming into the 2025 NFL draft was his tackling. It wasn’t a lack of desire from Medrano, but more of a technique issue. He’s sort of a tweener between linebacker and safety. Fortunately, that’s the new norm in the NFL, and Medrano could give the Commanders a new defensive weapon. On Friday, Medrano finished with three solo tackles and was extremely active. Another area Medrano must clean up is his tendency to overpursue. That’s what the preseason is for, though. From a player development perspective, Friday was a good night for Medrano. Not a perfect night, but lots to like and build from.