The Daily Slop – 23 October 2026
Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!
NFL Trade Deadline
Commanders Roundtable
Should the Washington Commanders be buyers or sellers in 2026?
[E]ven with the argument for the Commanders shifting to a seller with less than three weeks until the trade deadline, there’s also an easy argument as to why the front office should evaluate becoming a buyer.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels’ decision
against in-season surgery altered the outlook of the season as a potential season-ending surgery instead became a two-game absence, allowing Washington to avoid a second consecutive lost season due to quarterback injuries. That carries weight because with Daniels on year three of his four year deal ahead of the 2028 team option, the chance for the Commanders’ front office to strike with its franchise quarterback still on its rookie deal carries weight.
Add in the NFC East standings, and Washington still has plenty to play for.
Washington finds itself just two games out from the New York Giants, who sit at 3-2-1 ahead of week seven. Washington also ranks 29th in remaining strength of schedule, per Tankathon, with only Dallas facing an easier slate.
Interior offensive line, secondary and potentially wide receiver with McLaurin sidelined are among the midseason roster needs for the Commanders. Depth along the defensive line has been hit with Javon Kinlaw joining Charles Omenihu and Johnny Newton among the inactives, adding intrigue whether additional reinforcements are needed to upgrade the front seven. The running back room, meanwhile, has lacked star power through six games, even before Jacory Croskey-Merritt was placed on injured reserve.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
The Athletic (paywall)
NFL trade deadline 2026 big board: 50 players who could be dealt before Nov. 10
This is an aggressive list. We wanted to cast as wide a net as possible. Activity around the NFL trade deadline has increased in recent seasons. Last year, for instance, the New York Jets traded away two defensive stars, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner, for three total first-round picks. Still, most of the players on our board will not be traded. The fun is in considering all the options.
Contracts and the salary cap are important factors in facilitating trades. A team acquiring a player in a trade takes on any unpaid money in that player’s contract. A team trading away a player takes on any already-paid cash as dead money. For each player, we have included a projected 2026 cap hit for the acquiring team. Each figure assumes a trade on deadline day, Nov. 10.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders links
Articles
Commanders.com
NFC East roundup | The division struggled but remains wide open
Giants
Looking ahead to the Houston Texans: The Texans’ No. 3 run defense won’t do the Giants any favors. Houston is coming off a 34-31 victory against the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars in London. It held Jacksonville’s top rusher, former Commander Chris Rodriguz Jr., to 55 yards on 11 carries.
The Texans announced Tuesday that Tank Dell will return to action for the first time since Dec. 21, 2024, when he suffered multiple torn ligaments and a dislocated kneecap against the Kansas City Chiefs. He’ll likely be on a snap count, but the standout receiver will join a room that also now includes Marvin Harrison, Jr., who had three catches for 34 yards in his debut.
Cowboys & Eagles
The Eagles are riding a four-game losing streak — their longest streak since Doug Peterson’s 4-11-1 season in 2020 and the first in the Nick Sirianni era. Philadelphia will also be without Hurts for the remainder of the season as he recovers from deep blood clots.
The Cowboys have dropped back-to-back games following their 23-13 Sunday Night Football loss to the Green Bay Packers. Both Philadelphia and Dallas enter the matchup with the same 2-4 record, so a victory would push the [the winner] to 3-4 overall [record].
Commanders
What worked: The Commanders almost rallied back from a 23-3 deficit to upset the unbeaten 49ers in the second half. They fell by just one score, 23-17, and the comeback was a valiant effort from Jayden Daniels leading two touchdown drives and a defense that forced three consecutive three-and-outs.
Washington contained San Francisco’s offensive weapons in the second half, namely by bringing Brock Purdy to the ground three times for a total loss of 15 yards and limiting him to just four passes in the final 30 minutes. The defense stepped up in critical moments; Jeremy Reaves recorded an important pass breakup in the secondary that prevented George Kittle from converting on third-and-11, and he also brought Christian McCaffrey down short on a third-and-8.
Although they are tied for No. 1 in the NFL in turnover differential at +6, the Commanders still have a point differential of -40. Washington is generating takeaways and putting pressure on offenses, yet the turnovers aren’t solving its problems on offense and generating points to win games.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Commanders Film Review: Defense vs 49ers
In the first half, the 49ers offense dominated, scoring touchdowns on three of their first five possessions and were well on their way to another score on the fourth possession before K’Lavon Chaisson punched the ball out and the Commanders got a turnover. In the second half, the 49ers scored a field goal on their first possession and then went three and out on three consecutive drives to end the game.
That makes it sound like the Commanders came out with a terrible game plan and then switched at half time and it all worked perfectly. I don’t think that was the case. But there was a noticeable change in approach early on which didn’t work for Washington at all. That change lines up interestingly with the news that the Commanders have hired Steve Wilks to help with game planning on the defensive side of the ball. Wilks apparently started last week prior to the 49ers game and on the opening drives for the 49ers, we saw a big shift in philosophy from the Commanders defense.
Under Daronte Jones, the Commanders defense are running their interpretation of Brian Flores’ scheme in Minnesota. It’s an ultra aggressive, blitz heavy scheme. But on the 49ers opening possession, the Commanders went away from that philosophy entirely and played a lot more basic zone coverage with just four man rushes up front. It didn’t work for them…
What was new was the continued theme of dropping seven into zone coverage and rushing just four. We’ve seen already this season that the Commanders don’t have the defensive line capable of generating a consistent pass rush with just the front four. So to come into this game with the game plan of rushing four and dropping seven into coverage, rather than persisting with the blitzing style that has been the only form of pressure so far this year, is questionable.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
K’Lavon Chaisson is producing for the Commanders
Washington Commanders edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson did something over the last two games he’s never done before. Chaisson strip-sacked Jameis Winston against the Giants, then eight days later peanut-punched the ball out of Christian McCaffrey’s arms on Monday Night Football. Both plays resulted in takeaways, with Tim Settle recovering the first fumble and Frankie Luvu the second.
Not only did Chaisson match his career-high of two forced fumbles, set last season with New England, but he also helped generate as many fumble recoveries in two games as Washington managed during the entire 2025 season. It’s important to remember that Washington forced 11 fumbles in 2025 but recovered only two. This is in direct response to the staff’s continued emphasis on creating turnovers throughout the offseason program.
When Washington signed Chaisson in March, they were looking for a disruptor who could change things on the defensive front; in six games, he already has 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles with 11 regular-season games remaining.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
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Washington Post (paywall)
Five takeaways from the Commanders’ lackluster start to the season
Washington enters the bye week with one win in six games — and, remarkably, a chance to win the NFC East anyway
Their roster has again been ravaged by injuries. They are winless in the NFC East. They endured one of the most embarrassing endings to a game in NFL history.
Miraculously, they still aren’t out of the mix for the division crown. The New York Giants (3-2-1), who have beaten opponents with a combined record of 5-13, lead the NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys (2-4) have looked rough. The Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) will be without quarterback Jalen Hurts for the rest of the season because of blood clots.
Here are five takeaways from the Commanders’ season going into their bye week.
The offensive line has allowed a pressure rate of 39.9 percent (25th), according to TruMedia. There are a few factors at play there. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil has been sidelined since suffering a torn triceps in training camp. Right guard Sam Cosmi missed two games because of a concussion. And they had a rotation at center before Lucas Patrick emerged as the starter in Week 3. While Cosmi is healthy again, Tunsil has no timeline for his return.
The current O-line configuration of left tackle Brandon Coleman, left guard Chris Paul, Patrick, Cosmi and right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. hasn’t garnered the results the coaching staff wants. And Quinn said the unit’s performance in Monday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers was below the Commanders’ standard.
“[We’re] going to continue to look and find the right combination,” Quinn said.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Commanders have 3 problems to fix to stop the season from slipping away
Five, count them, five penalties from Monday’s 49ers loss could be traced directly to a few choice blockers, with holding calls, a false start, and an offensive facemask all contributing to the problem. If they’re not going to make Daniels’ life easier as a united front, they may as well avoid hampering the offense by repeatedly giving up yards on second- or third-and-longs.
This position group needs discipline as much as any on the Commanders’ depth chart if anyone’s dreaming about a miracle divisional seizure, which they should be, in the interest of holding their jobs and making the most of the sad state of the NFC East.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Another Commanders practice squad player signed to a 53-man roster
Washington had another player snatched off their practice squad when the Atlanta Falcons signed defensive end Charles Snowden to their active roster on Wednesday. The Commanders added him to the practice squad on September 29.
– Snowden has 4.5 career sacks in 33 NFL games, including 18 starts, and now joins the list of players Washington has lost, including running backs Robert Henry Jr. and Kaytron Allen, although it should be noted that the Commanders released Allen before the Miami Dolphins signed him on waivers, and they planned to sign him to the practice squad if he cleared waivers.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
The Athletic (paywall)
Who has the hottest seat in the NFL?
There’s an argument to be made that Quinn isn’t the most deserving of being…on this list — two losses have been by one possession, one game was a tie that easily could have been a win, two blowout losses were with quarterback injuries playing a big role and there was a win over the defending Super Bowl champions.
But in the era of social media, it’s hard to shake the images of the coaching gaffes of the past two weeks. Fortunately for the Commanders, they play in the NFC Least, and half of the teams in the division have lost their starting quarterback for the season. But if the wins don’t start coming soon and the comedy of errors continues, the temperature of Quinn’s seat could become scorching.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Podcasts & videos
Kurt Warner on JAYDEN DANIELS WEEK 6 | Kurt Warner Studyball 2026
JD5 ➡️ Rachaad White = TD & Leveraging Strengths For Success | Film Breakdown Show | Commanders
The Greatest Upset | Hail Tales: Stories from Washington Football History |
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Eagles vs. Cowboys odds: Opening lines for Week 7 matchup
Oh!
That’s right, the Philadelphia Eagles actually play a football game this week.
It was easy to forget given all the off-field chaos surrounding this team.
The Eagles are 4.5-point home underdogs to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.
In normal times, this would be a much-anticipated NFC East matchup. But it doesn’t feel like there’s a lot of juice for this matchup. It appears this Eagles season might be lost. Cowboys fans are finding it hard to take their team seriously as well.
Blogging the Boys
Cowboys 2nd Philly visit under Schottenheimer is a sad reality check
If the Cowboys want any hope of salvaging this season they have to figure things out Monday night
Dallas’ only win against a team outside the division this year is against a Houston Texans side that was winless at the time, by four points. Their last win before this in the same category was last Thanksgiving, and they lost four of five to conclude that season immediately afterwards.
Perhaps the good news out of all of this is the Cowboys next opponent is in the division. That opponent is the Philadelphia Eagles.
there is unequivocally zero margin whatsoever for a Dallas loss at Philly this time around under Schotty to be received with a single molecule of positivity. The Cowboys have already lost two straight, dropped another game this season they should have won to the Ravens, and are aiming to avoid not only a three-game losing streak for the second season in a row, but three straight primetime losses to boot.
Embarrasing is a word that’s been thrown around a ton already with the second month of the season not even completed, but we might be reaching “look the word up in the dictionary and see three straight primetime losses by the Cowboys” territory.
To avoid an incendiary 2-5 start, Schottenheimer will need to hand head coach Nick Sirianni his first back-to-back home losses in consecutive weeks as the Eagles head coach. Their last game was their first full game without Jalen Hurts at QB, now out for the season, a 25-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Eagles would also fall to 2-5 if the Cowboys win at the Linc for the first time since 2022, the earliest in a season they’d have five losses since Sirianni’s first year of 2021.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Pro Football Report
Brian Schottenheimer: George Pickens “needs to understand he impacts us in the run game”
[Q]uestions have emerged about Pickens’s effort, especially when the ball isn’t coming his way. Coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed that issue in a Thursday session with the media.
“I think GP is one of those guys where I don’t ever see him really affected in terms of the emotion of, ‘Does he get the ball? Does he not get the ball?’” Schottenheimer said regarding Pickens, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “These guys play a lot of snaps. I think part of it is us rotating those guys through, but he needs to understand that he impacts us in the running game as well. And he’s got to do the same thing in the run game, picking up safeties and blocking corners just like Javonte [Williams] does, picking up blitzes so he can catch balls. And that’s part of the team-first mindset and GP does understand that. And when he’s going, they’re going to place off to his side. When he’s not going, then the safeties get pretty good runs at our backs and that’s got to improve.”
Schottenheimer has been instrumental in getting the most out of Pickens during his time in Dallas. And it’s a calculated risk to call him out publicly.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Big Blue View
Does J.J. McCarthy give the Giants worse odds against the Texans?
NY Giants’ odds plummet against the Houston Texans
We already knew that the New York Giants were going to be underdogs going into their Week 7 match against the Houston Texans.
The line has moved significantly by Thursday, dropping the Giants to 10.5-point underdogs against the Texans, per Fanduel.
The Texans have consistently been viewed as being better than their record despite their 0-4 start to the season. The Giants, meanwhile, have been viewed with skepticism despite their 3-1 start. So it was expected that the Giants would be underdogs when this week’s opening odds came out.
The Giants’ odds have been dropping all week, and they were 9.5-point underdogs by Wednesday. It’s notable that the Giants’ odds got longer the day after they made a quarterback change, dropping a full point despite J.J. McCarthy coming off a game in which he threw for nearly 250 yards and a touchdown in less than a quarter.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Marshall Faulk, Hall of Famer and Southern coach, reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis
Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and Southern University coach Marshall Faulk has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Faulk, 53, revealed his diagnosis on a podcast Wednesday. He said that with medication, he is not experiencing “issues” beyond hand rigidity, which he believes hasn’t gotten worse in the year and a half he has been dealing with the disease, and “little tremors.”
Faulk told Dr. Sandeep Thakkar on the show “The Caring Neurologist” that in discussing his illness, “I want to help as many people as I can.”
Faulk played more than 10 seasons in the NFL, first with the Indianapolis Colts and then with the St. Louis Rams, with whom he won a Super Bowl and was named Most Valuable Player. After major knee surgery, he retired in 2007.
Four years later, in his first year of eligibility, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Faulk said he has experienced no cognitive decline and feels “clear of thought.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
TE Cole Kmet exits Bears’ win vs. Patriots with knee injury
With 5:46 to play in the fourth quarter, Kmet caught an 8-yard pass from Caleb Williams and took a hard hit while running up the Bears’ sideline. The tight end collided with Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and linebacker Robert Spillane, and immediately grabbed for his knee while on the ground.
Kmet got to his feet with the help of trainers but could not put weight on his right leg. He gave the crowd at Soldier Field a thumbs-up as he was carted back to the locker room, where he was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Coach Ben Johnson said the Bears will find out more about the severity of Kmet’s injury on Friday.
“I don’t think it looked very good,” Johnson said.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
Steelers fan event in Paris canceled following recent civil unrest in capital
A weekend event for Pittsburgh Steelers fans in Paris has been canceled because of security concerns following recent street protests in the French capital.
The NFL and the team both said Thursday that the event — at a bar in the Bastille neighborhood — was off.
The announcement came a day after league commissioner Roger Goodell said he has a high comfort level in the the teams playing in Paris amid recent civil unrest.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Thursday Night Football
Patriots-Bears on ‘Thursday Night Football’: What We Learned from Chicago’s 30-24 win
Maye doesn’t stay hot enough. It’s tough to say Drake Maye cooled off on Monday night. After a terrible start to the season, Maye came into Thursday night having thrown for 10 touchdowns over the past three games, with at least three in each of them. He had three total TDs in this one (two passing, one rushing) and threw for 321 yards. However, his first interception since the second quarter of Week 4 was a noticeable black eye.
Trailing, 13-7, in the first quarter with a chance to vault ahead, Maye threw an interception to D’Marco Jackson in the end zone. It was a massive swing, with Caleb Williams and the Bears driving 80 yards and widening their lead thanks to a Luther Burden III 24-yard catch-and-run on a quick screen.
Maye and the Pats were able to steal six when he hit A.J. Brown for 18 yards and then Rhamondre Stevenson on a 48-yard score with no time left in the first half.
Maye made plays with his legs, too, and he played well overall. There’s plenty to nitpick on a night in which the offense was 2 of 7 on third down, but it was an entertaining and fun game with Maye playing well enough to win. Per NFL Research, it was the first prime-time game since Week 11, 2018, between Jared Goff’s Rams and Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs, in which two quarterbacks under the age of 25 each had 300-plus passing yards and multiple TD passes. The future looks bright for both these quarterbacks, even the one on the losing end Thursday.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
2027 NFL Draft (sort of)
Arch Manning’s Rough Season Clouds His Draft Stock, Texas’s Investment
Texas’s 2026 playoff hopes are in flux after two consecutive losses, and its star-studded offense—led by high-priced quarterback Arch Manning—is at the center of criticism.
Through six games, the Longhorns’ offense is on pace to be the worst statistically under coach Steve Sarkisian. Texas ranks 64th nationally in points per game (30.2), 92nd nationally in yards per game (362.3), and 104th in yards per play (5.2). It’s an alarming trend considering Texas’s investment in offense, highlighted by Manning, one of the most recognizable players in the country, several former blue-chip recruits, and expensive transfers, such as wide receiver Cam Coleman and running back Hollywood Smothers.
Manning’s play, in particular, has come into focus. The fourth-year quarterback has committed three costly turnovers (two interceptions, one fumble) over the last two games and six total on the season, amplifying the Longhorns’ struggles. Last week, Sarkisian pushed back on criticism, suggesting that if his starting quarterback’s last name wasn’t Manning, his play would be praised. Today, however, there are legitimate questions about Manning’s job security for the first time since he was named Texas’s starter last season.
On Monday, ESPN reported that backup quarterback KJ Lacey Jr. would receive an uptick in first-team reps this week ahead of Saturday’s home game against No. 7 Ole Miss. Sarkisian was asked to elaborate on the report three separate times Monday and rebuffed each question.
Through six games this season, he has 11 passing touchdowns, zero rushing touchdowns, six turnovers, and a 59.3 QBR. His performance could prove especially costly with regard to next year’s NFL Draft, where it was previously believed he could follow in the footsteps of his uncles—Peyton and Eli Manning—as the No. 1 pick.
Looking ahead, his standing on NFL Draft boards fluctuates. There have been highs and lows. At this point, all possibilities are on the table.
“Is he going to stay at Texas? Is he going to transfer?” Brugler said. “There’s just a lot of question marks around right now that I think there’s just a big TBD next to his name and what the future holds for him.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
