The Washington Commanders finished the preseason with a 20-10 win over the New England Patriots. Here are five takeaways from the matchup, presented by Maryland Lottery.
1. KJ Henry stood out early.
The Commanders have been looking for a strong pass rusher since the start of training camp and may have found someone in KJ Henry who could fill that role.
Henry, a fifth-round pick out of Clemson in 2023, has adapted well to defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.’s scheme over the course of training camp, seeing regular action due to his ability in the running game and development as a pass rusher. That progress was on display Sunday night when Henry burst through the Patriots’ offensive line from the left side of the defense and brought down Jacoby Brissett for a loss of seven yards.
Henry crowned the game with a celebration.
Henry didn’t play much more, recording just one tackle in the first half, but what he did show was enough to cement his place on the roster. Henry has battled with the other defensive ends at the bottom of the roster to impress a coaching staff that didn’t draft him. So far, he’s accomplished that goal with his performances in practice and contributions on special teams.
The team had to consider several factors when assembling the initial 53-man roster, but at least Henry finished well.
