ASHBURN — Jordan Magee was the designated scribe. The Commanders’ linebackers met Tuesday mornings, typically their off days during the season, and Magee was responsible for watching all the film and documenting everything discussed and shared on the board.When the full defense met the following day to review the game plan, Magee was tasked with taking notes and reciting them later to his fellow linebackers.He also wore the “green dot” during practices for much of last season, and whenever linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. had coaching points for Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu, Norton would “fuss” at Magee instead of chiding the veterans. Intentionally.“So when it’s time for him to wear the green dot (in games), when it’s time for him to be the leader and the other guys have moved on,” Norton explained in January, “he understands what it looks like, what the standard is and all the stuff that they have.”The Commanders drafted Magee in the fifth round in 2024, hoping that his smarts, size and athleticism — combined with the teachings of Norton and Washington’s veterans — would help him develop into a potential successor to Wagner, the 10-time Pro Bowler and surefire Hall of Famer. Norton was, in every way imaginable, coaching Magee into being the quarterback of the defense, the role Wagner seemingly mastered over his 14 NFL seasons.But as Magee enters his third season, when many players are expected to take a leap in their play and production, Magee now faces another hurdle to becoming a key starter for Washington: competition.The Commanders drafted Sonny Styles in the first round with the clear intention of making him the “mike,” or the middle linebacker typically tasked with wearing the green dot and relaying plays to the rest of the defense. He is, essentially, the projected heir apparent to Wagner, who remains an unsigned free agent.Luvu has another year on his contract and new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones has said he believes the veteran is at his best when playing “downhill,” or off the ball. Odafe Oweh and Leo Chenal, two of the team’s top free-agent signings this year, were brought in to boost the pass rush from the edge.The team also has second-year linebackers Kain Medrano and Ale Kaho, as well as veteran Nick Bellore, who is almost exclusively a special-teams ace.That leaves Magee as likely third in line among the inside backers — unless his play in minicamp this week and in training camp later this summer proves he’s worthy of more.“He’s taken all the necessary steps,” Norton said of Magee last week. “He’s doing all the things correctly. It’s just a very competitive room. And he, along with Frankie and everybody else in the room, is going to have to continue to really compete to play.”The Commanders have stressed that it’s still early in the offseason, that Styles and everyone else on defense are still learning Jones’ system and that competition at multiple spots will determine the team’s true depth.Norton and Quinn have praised Magee as a potential three-down linebacker, with the versatility to move around the front seven. Washington sought to get faster and younger this offseason, and Magee fits the bill; his closing speed was on display multiple times last season, but he also showed his inexperience.What he did learn in his first two seasons, however, may be his most impactful teachings.During his rookie season, when Magee sat most of the year because of injuries, Norton made him read various books on leadership and finance, and provide reports to the team on Saturdays before games. Among the required reading: “The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change,” by Jon Gordon and Damon West; “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie; and “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter.“Of course he’s teaching me on the field, but it’s the life stuff and what you’ll remember after football,” Magee said. “He’s taught me a lot, like how to gain the trust of people.”Wagner instilled much of the same, encouraging Magee to begin thinking of his post-football plan and to make sure he’s set up well whenever the game ends for him. He also taught Magee to set a meticulous plan for recovery and maintenance of his body throughout the year.As Magee preps for the most important months of his young career, his earlier lessons and note-taking may drive him.“I kind of incorporated a few things that he does into my routine now,” Magee said of Wagner. “And for Frankie, same thing. So now, as I’m moving into Year 3, I have a set routine. In the offseason, I know what I’m doing. In season, I know what I’m doing.”Jun 15, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms