The Daily Slop – 19 June 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!
Commanders links
Articles
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Josh Conerly learning from Laremy Tunsil
In this clip, you can see Conerly practicing some traits that stand out in Tunsil’s game, s Tunsil watches over him. He’s practicing shorter, quicker steps while keeping his cleats in the ground, all while staying as square as possible.
Those are traits you see in Tunsil’s game constantly. If you missed it last week, Brandon Thorn posted an excellent video on his substack where he broke down film with Laremy Tunsil. I highly recommend subscribing and watching the full video but there is a 15 minute preview video too.
Some of the key themes from that video with Tunsil were his ability to stay square and how he always has his cleats in the ground, enabling him to keep his balance and power even when a rusher surprises him with a quick shift to power. If you remember last year, the book on Conerly coming out of college and throughout his rookie season was that he had tremendous athletic ability but struggled a bit against power. So learning these traits from one of the best pass protectors in the NFL should help him out in that regard.
Commanders Roundtable
No surprise: Commanders will have a committee approach at RB in 2026
For an offense that ranked fourth in the NFL and second in the NFC with nearly 135 rushing yards per game, the Commanders will now look to build on that with more balance between the run and pass, while coordinator David Blough’s play designs could feature quarterback Jayden Daniels in space with an opportunity to use his legs.
Yet with the focus on adding support around Daniels, it’s why Quinn still sees “some main guys in certain parts” in the new rotation rather than a lead back with depth rounding out the eventual 53-man roster, adding the Commanders will feature “more than just one” in the backfield in 2026.
ESPN
2026 NFL minicamp live updates: Last spring practices wrap up
— It’s hard to single out one player as a few stood out. Tight end Chig Okonkwo displayed his speed, notably on deep crossers, as he developed a connection with Daniels. But perhaps the standout player on offense was running back Rachaad White, a free agent signee from Tampa Bay. It’s no surprise that he caught the ball well out of the backfield, showing speed in practices.
Also, the Commanders really liked the athleticism displayed by outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson, another free agent signee. Coach Dan Quinn said Chaisson “showed a lot of edge and toughness the way he competes.”
— Washington’s starters typically haven’t played much in the preseason, but the Commanders still need to figure out several starting spots. Nick Allegretti and Julian Good-Jones are battling at center; Chris Paul and Brandon Coleman at left guard; and Jake Moody and Drew Stevens at placekicker. And will a receiver emerge to complement Terry McLaurin?
There are other questions that loom large, such as: How quickly can they adapt to a new offense and defense?
Commanders.com
Minicamp notebook | Commanders wrap offseason with strong practice
[J]ust as they did in the previous two practices, Athan Kaliakmanis and Sam Hartman took all the snaps. It was a solid day for both quarterbacks, as they combined for just five incompletions, three touchdowns and one interception. The pick came near the end of practice during the final drill of the day. Darius Rush jumped a pass from Kaliakmanis and ran it back for a score.
— Hartman had a solid day as he and Kaliakmanis continue to battle for the third quarterback spot. He had a touchdown pass to Chris Hilton Jr. during seven-on-seven drills and fit another touchdown pass to Dyami Brown between two defenders during team drills. He also lofted a touchdown pass to undrafted rookie Robert Henry Jr., who was one of the standouts among Washington’s depth players.
— Aside from the interception, Kaliakmanis had a solid day, completing his first three passes to Luke McCaffrey and Jacoby Jones during seven-on-seven drills. He did throw a dangerous pass into the end zone that was broken up by Percy Butler and Tyler Owens, but he also had completions to Anthony Firkser, Henry and Jaylin Lane in team drills. He wrapped up the day by getting the offense into field goal range with a pass to Lawrence Cager.
— The battle at kicker rages on, and here’s your update: both Jake Moody and Drew Stevens made all six of their kicks today. Their distances were 28, 38, 43, 48 and 50 yards. They hit each with room to spare.
WUSA9
Dan Quinn names 8 Washington Commanders who stood out at mandatory minicamp
The three-day minicamp session was focused on creating opportunities for some of the younger or even lesser-known Washington players to “jump out,” as Quinn put it, and it certainly delivered.
Mandatory minicamp does not settle roster spots, especially without pads, but it can shape which players enter training camp with momentum. For Washington, Quinn used the three-day session to evaluate depth, communication, and which players could handle larger opportunities before the team broke for the summer.
The familiar names mentioned by Quinn as standouts from the minicamp period are defensive tackle Johnny Newton, linebackers Jordan Magee and Kain Medrano, and defensive end T.J. Maguranyanga.
Newton (2nd Round) and Magee (5th Round) are both members of the 2024 Washington draft class that brought quarterback Jayden Daniels to D.C., while Medrano was a 6th Round pick in last year’s class. Maguranyanga has been a player in the Commanders’ International Player Pathway (IPP) program since last offseason and came to play football after spending time in France’s Top 14 league. As part of the IPP, Maguranyanga only counts against the team’s roster limit if he is named to the 53-man roster, meaning that if he is on the practice squad, he is exempt from any limitations.
In 2025, Maguranyanga played in one game, recording 11 snaps on defense against the Denver Broncos in Week 13 and one tackle.
Commanders Wire
Commanders’ free agency spending was 3rd-highest in the NFL
All told, the Commanders were third in free agency spending in 2026, which largely focused on defense.
The defense needed more attention than the offense, so it’s no surprise that the most money has been spent on that side of the ball. Their biggest signing? Odafe Oweh.
Total free agent spending: $259.49 millionNumber of free agents signed: 28Most expensive free agent signing: DE Odafe Oweh (Four years, $96 million with $50.6 million fully guaranteed)The Washington Commanders collapsed in 2025 after injuries to quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin derailed their offense while age slowed their defense. Washington ranked last in total defense (384.3 total yards per game allowed) and 27th in scoring defense (26.5 points per game allowed) as inside linebacker Bobby Wagner ranked last among starting off ball linebackers in average speed in 2025 at 9.1 miles per hour, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
That’s why Washington drafted Ohio State All-America inside linebacker Sonny Styles, a player whose NFL Scouting Combine performance compared similarly to Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson’s, seventh overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s also why they made edge rusher Odafe Oweh their big ticket free agency acquisition: the 27-year-old produced 10.5 sacks in 13 games with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025 including the postseason. His best game came against the eventual AFC champion Patriots when he racked up three sacks and two forced fumbles. The Commanders’ defense should be back to being competent in 2026 following these additions.
Sonny Styles was the cherry on top for the Commanders, who seemed to be content with the moves they’d made. And while the defense definitely needed to make changes, there are plenty of people who believe Peters should have spent more money on acquiring additional weapons for Jayden Daniels.
ESPN
Final NFL offseason moves for 32 teams: Trades, signings, more
Washington Commanders
Sign wide receiver Tyreek Hill
The caveat here is “if healthy,” but the Commanders could use a solid No. 2 receiver and a field stretcher who is a step up from Dyami Brown. They are currently third in cap space, so the economics work for them. Jayden Daniels is a dynamic young quarterback who could get the ball out to Hill.
[ESPN also suggests: Deebo to Chiefs, Stefon Diggs to Raiders, Giants trade away Thibodeaux; no mention of Bobby Wagner]
WUSA9
Dan Quinn tells his team to avoid ‘the drift’ during their time off
The Commanders wrapped up their offseason program Thursday and will be on break until the start of Training Camp in late July
WUSA9 asked head coach Dan Quinn if he had a parting message for his team. He says he talked to his team about holding themselves accountable.
“I spoke a little bit about what I would call, like, the drift, like the next 35 days. And we all could be vulnerable to that. You know, you’re not here with your guys, you know, doing everything together, setting the schedule for it, but they’ve got some real principles, you know, to lean back on their teammates the way we want to compete, you know, the standards that we have,” said Quinn. “To make sure everybody’s coming back in crazy shape to go do that and protect from the drift, which could easily happen to any of us in 35 days. But how do we narrow it back in to make sure they need the break the space, but also like the training to get themselves ready to really apply what they could do? It’s going to be a hell of a camp. I’m certain of that.”
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders kick off minicamp
The Washington Commanders officially began their three-day minicamp on Tuesday. Check out the top photos from the action on the field.
Podcasts & videos
Training Camp Competitors, Minicamp Stars & London Fletcher on Sonny Styles | Command Center | NFL
Daronte Jones IS BREAKING NFL Offenses! Commanders CUTTING-EDGE System With Sonny Styles & Co.
NFC East links
Sports Illustrated
Albert Breer’s Mailbag: Jalen Carter & the Eagles
From Ben (@samuelslim2): Where are things at with the Eagles and Jalen Carter? Is he going to hold in? Are the Eagles hesitant to pay him?
Ben, the answer is yes, they are hesitant to pay him.
Philadelphia is telling you what you need to know with its actions. The Eagles have always been aggressive paying their own, in large part because they know that the earlier you do the deal, the better the price you’ll get. It’s a strategy that takes commitment from ownership, which Philly clearly has (some owners would rather keep money in their accounts until the summer), and has served the team very well over the years.
So the fact that we’re into June without Jalen Carter having a deal is notable. And I’d guess if they do one now, before his fourth season as a pro, then it’d come with flexibility for the team. If Carter won’t give them that flexibility now, maybe he’ll just wait another year. Which would make this a little like the George Pickens situation in Dallas—where a team might want to see a little more from a player, just from a character perspective, before committing long term.
Bleeding Green Nation
NFL Trade Rumors: Eagles “nuclear hot” for Maxx Crosby?
The buzz comes from Hondo Carpenter, who covers the Raiders for Sports Illustrated. Here’s what he had to say:
“I am telling you there is a lot of interest in Maxx Crosby. Two teams, specifically, nuclear hot — the Eagles and the 49ers. I still believe there are two, maybe as many as three, other teams absolutely in play for Maxx.
Carpenter adds that neither Crosby nor Raiders management seem to be in a rush to get a deal done.
Big Blue View
Can the ‘26 NY Giants be the ’25 Patriots?
Best case
The Giants are this year’s Patriots. They see their second-year quarterback, Jaxson Dart, emerge as an MVP candidate and their first-year head coach, John Harbaugh, stabilize the organization en route to a surprise playoff run. New York wins the NFC East for the first time since its Super Bowl-winning season in 2011 and does so with a stable of young talent on both sides of the ball.
Valentine’s View: The Patriots are, of course, the team the Giants would love to emulate. They went from 4-13 in 2024 to 13-4 and a Super Bowl berth last season.
Worst case
Dart doesn’t learn from his issues last season and continues to put himself in harm’s way by fighting unnecessarily for extra yardage. That leads to the second-year quarterback continuing his visits to the blue medical tent and lowers the ceiling for what New York can accomplish in Year 2 of his tenure.
Valentine’s View: I am tiring of the “Dart needs to protect himself” narrative. I’m sure the second-year quarterback is less enthused by it than I am, but there isn’t much left to be said there.
NFL league links
Articles
NFL.com
2026 NFL season: What We Learned during final wave of minicamps
2) Penix has work to do to earn Falcons QB job. Michael Penix Jr. has said he believes he’ll be ready to go come training camp, eager to engage in his highly anticipated competition against Tua Tagovailoa. But Penix has yet to be cleared for 11-on-11 work this offseason, making late July feel suddenly very close.
Right now, it feels like Tagovailoa has the subtle edge in the battle, even if nothing has been decided. Or at the very least, Penix will have to make up some ground once he’s cleared. Is six weeks enough time?
New Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said they are “not giving out any jobs in June,” and that’s a good thing. OTAs are more of a teaching environment than an evaluation period, even if it’s natural for the team and fans alike to engage in the latter this time of year.
Penix has been limited this offseason. He has done 7-on-7 work. It’s not nothing. If Penix had been stuck on the stationary bike during these June sessions, I’d be more concerned. Stefanski said that Penix is “exactly” where he needs to be at this stage.
But consider me a little worried about his ability to get cleared, stay healthy and beat out Tagovailoa for the Week 1 starting job.
Discussion topics
NFL.com
Stefon Diggs to Commanders? Free-agent WR open to playing for hometown team: ‘Not ruling it out’
One place where Diggs has been widely linked: the Washington Commanders.
Washington certainly has a need at receiver alongside Terry McLaurin. A Diggs signing would also bring the Maryland native home.
In a recent interview with FOX 5, Diggs was asked about the possibility of returning to the area where he grew up and attended college.
“I never realized how many fans [there] was back home until I was a free agent and people are like, ‘Are you going to come back home?’ Especially when they see me back [here],” Diggs said. “I’ve been living here for my whole life. I’ve been living here for 10 years. They was just like, ‘Oh, we never see you.’ I was like, man, y’all wasn’t looking.
“It’s a lot of hopes. We’re kind of figuring out, working through some things. I did have a small piece of me like, damn, it would be great to come home and play and play in front of the fans I used to play in front of as a young adolescent in college and just kind of doing something for the city. That definitely would be a moment. Hopefully, things do work out. We’ll see how it goes, but I’m kind of open right now.”
Diggs admitted he’s considered the possibility of playing in D.C., a short drive from where he grew up.
“100 percent,” he said when asked if he’d thought about it. “That’s one of the first things I thought about like, damn, if I wanted to come back and play for my hometown team. I just had that same kind of energy when I chose to go to the University of Maryland. So I was just like, damn, it would be a thing. It would definitely be a thing if that kind of worked out. So, we’ll see, we’ll see. We’re not ruling it out.”
aBit o’Twitter
