A Commanders veteran says the team has unlocked a new level of his game

The Washington Commanders brought defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. in from the New England Patriots’ roster to add strength, size, run defense, and experience. But as much as he’s bringing to the team, he’s also getting plenty out of it.

Speaking to the media following the Commanders’ joint training camp practice against his former Patriots teammates, Wise revealed that the change in scenery after spending eight seasons with his first team is helping him reach new heights he never could before.

Learning a New Way

“I would say being here for eight years, I learned one way. I learned a lot of great ball, I learned leadership, learned a lot about bringing everybody together,” Wise shared about his time in New England. Being in Washington, however, he’s had to break out of the mold set in his previous seasons, and learn new ways to approach the game and contribute as a teammate. 

It isn’t that one way is necessarily better than the other, though the Commanders would certainly argue theirs is. Rather, combining Wise’s experiences with the Patriots and the new approach presented by the Commanders can turn him into an even more effective player than he has been over the past decade.