Commanders' Henry, Jones 'Work in Progress'

The Washington Commanders have a lot of development projects currently in training camp, including two rookies drafted on Day 3 of the draft.

K.J. Henry, drafted in the fifth round, and Andre Jones Jr., selected in the seventh round, are two players not expected to make a huge impact in their rookie seasons, but someone who could emerge into a solid contributor down the line.

“They'll be a work in progress," coach Ron Rivera said of Henry and Jones. "I think it took a little bit for them to get used to the speed and then you started to see some really good things on tape. I mean, some real technical things as we break 'em down and watch 'em, you feel really confident that if they continue to grow within the scheme of things, they have a chance to help.”

Henry, who went to Clemson, is ready for the challenge to prove himself as a late-round pick. The 6-4, 251-pound defensive end had 3.5 sacks and 26 tackles along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery this past season.

"I wanna earn everything," Henry said. "I know I'll have to but I'm excited to get that opportunity to do it all over again. Earn the respect of my teammates, my coaches, and everybody in the organization. But, you know, as a player, I'm gonna bring great versatility to the field. Maximum every single play and just excited to help us win. Whatever aspect that's called for me on the field, special teams defense, just any position in order to bring us dubs next year."

The same can be said for Jones, who comes in as a seventh-round pick and at a slight disadvantage. 

Jones, 24, may be one of the older rookies in the class, but that didn't deter Commanders general manager Martin Mayhew from taking him. To put it in perspective, Jones is six months older than Chase Young, who is entering his fourth year in the NFL this season.

While time may not be on Jones' side, the talent is. During the 2022 campaign, Jones recorded 7.5 sacks and 51 tackles in total.

If Jones can quickly pick up the pace of the NFL game, he could find himself as a surprise contributor for the Commanders this season.