The Daily Slop – 23 August 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
ESPN
2026 NFL preseason Week 2: Game takeaways, analysis
Commanders: How will the O-line room shake out? The toughest decision will be wide receiver, considering the Commanders say they have eight worthy of a roster spot. But the biggest decision will be what to do along
the offensive line.
Do they even have nine linemen currently on the team worthy of a roster spot? Who is the backup center — presumed starter Nick Allegretti’s calf issues in training camp have limited him to two practices this summer. Right now it would be inexperienced Julian Good-Jones (two snaps, one game since entering the NFL in 2020) or rookie Matt Gulbin. Washington should continue to be on the lookout for interior line depth. — John Keim
Next game: at Baltimore Ravens (Friday, 6 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Last Man Standig (paywall)
Chaos unleashed by Washington defense
You wouldn’t know Washington’s defensive front was without Daron Payne, Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson. After generating three turnovers in the preseason opener against Miami, Daronte Jones’ group turned the Lions over twice in the first eight plays.
The Lions played without quarterback Jared Goff and other offensive standouts, including running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and left tackle Penei Sewell. Still, the Commanders showed some of the chaos a blitz-heavy plan can create.
Robertson’s sack off the edge was a good example of how this defense can confuse quarterbacks trying to gauge who is rushing and who is dropping. Dobbs took the hit from the front. The loose ball went backward toward the Lions’ end zone before Josephs fell on it.
Three more sacks followed on Detroit’s first possession of the second quarter. Recently signed DT Maurice Hurst got the first before T.J. Maguranyanga and Kain Medrano combined for a takedown, and Javonte Jean-Baptiste got QB Luke Altmeyer. Charles Omenihu did not record a sack, but his pressure led to Dobbs throwing into traffic while on the move — and right to Martin. Safety Tyler Owens trucking a running back trying to pass-block was another highlight.
For more from Ben Standig, click here
The Athletic (paywall)
Offensive highlights
McLaurin and Diggs never saw the ball in their limited time on the field, but the handful of receivers hoping to snare one of those last roster spots showed quite a bit. Undrafted rookie Jaden Bradley had the play of the day when he pulled in a 30-yard catch with one hand while being held by a defender.
Rookie Antonio Williams caught a 21-yard bullet up the middle on third-and-10 to help set up a field goal on that same third-quarter drive. Then, Nick Nash had a 55-yard over-the-shoulder catch along the right sideline to set up Drew Stevens’ second field goal of the day.
The passer on all three of those deep balls was Athan Kaliakmanis, Washington’s seventh-round rookie who may have done enough to prompt the team to roster three quarterbacks, especially as Marcus Mariota recovers from an MCL sprain.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
Jaden Bradley is making his Commanders’ roster case hard to dismiss
It’s begging a question that will be answered by the end of the month. Is there room for Bradley to make the final 53-man squad?
The common belief has been that Washington will keep either six or seven wide receivers. Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, and third-round rookie Antonio Williams are roster locks, as are Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane for their return specialist roles.
Then, it’s been expected that the Commanders will keep either one or two of Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown, and Van Jefferson Jr., with everybody else on the outside looking in. But a few of the camp bodies are making matters a bit more challenging, especially Bradley.
At this point, Bradley has to be considered firmly in the race for one of those final roster spots.
Bradley offers more long-term upside than Jefferson and Burks, and he can also play on special teams. The Commanders have been impressed with him all summer, and now he’s showing he can make plays against real NFL competition.
The only problem Bradley faces is that after the addition of Diggs, the Commanders have a deep receiver room that can only afford to keep so many wideouts. Much of his competition has also made a strong impression this offseason, and head coach Dan Quinn has been known to choose experience over youth when it comes to the crunch.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
5 Winners, 4 Losers From Commanders’ Preseason Loss to Lions
Winner
Maurice Hurst II
At a time when the team is looking for a pass-rushing defensive tackle after Johnny Newton went down with an injury, Maurice Hurst jumps out with two sacks in the Lions game. The Commanders were without Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Dorance Armstrong, among others, on the defensive front.
Verdict: His possible depth status could see an increase in reps after two sacks.
Losers
Robert Henry Jr.
No one had the complete opposite day from the opener quite like Robert Henry Jr. did against the Lions. After having 75 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphin, and that most of hte defenisve , Henry left Detroit with minus three yards on four attempts. The offensive line didn’t help much with their run blocking either, but Henry also fumbled a kick return with Washington down four and getting the ball back for its final possession with 2:15 remaining.
Verdict: While the rushing total is bad, it could have been overlooked given the offensive line’s issues, but the kickoff fumble is close to a fatal flaw with as much emphasis as these guys put on special teams and securing the football.
Julian Good-Jones
Julian Good-Jones has done more to hurt his situation over the last two weeks than to help, even with what is likely his career lying in his lap currently.
Verdict: It’s still odd to me that Matt Gulbin isn’t being given more of a shot at this position, at least as the primary backup to Nick Allegretti. The fact that Good-Jones is not that guy, but they keep putting him out there over Gulbin, tells me who they trust, but that doesn’t help block people. Something needs to be done here as the red flags are waving.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Three young players shine against Lions
LB Javontae Jean-Baptiste
Commanders third-year linebacker Javontae Jean-Baptiste had an impressive afternoon against Detroit. The former Notre Dame linebacker recorded a sack, quarterback hit and tackle for loss.
Jean-Baptiste is currently expected to serve as the third-string outside linebacker behind Joshua Josephs, while Odafe Oweh is projected to start. His performance is another example of the depth Washington has in its outside linebacker room.
Jean-Baptiste missed much of the 2025 season after appearing in just three games. He only recorded one sack and six total tackles. Hopefully, his strong outing against Detroit is a sign of what’s to come this season and, most importantly, that he can stay healthy.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
5 takeaways from Washington 17-13 loss to Detroit
2. Constant pressure on Detroit’s quarterbacks.
The backups started to make their way into the game after Martin’s interception, and while the turnovers stopped after that, the pressure on Detroit’s quarterbacks continued throughout the afternoon.
Whether it was Tyler Owens blowing up a running back in the pocket or D.J. Davidson forcing Dobbs to get rid of the ball early, the Commanders were in the pocket often to make his and Luke Altmyer’s lives difficult. The two quarterbacks combined for just 110 yards on 16 completions.
And the Commanders weren’t just forcing hurries and pressures; they also got Dobbs and Altmyer on the ground four times. Altmyer was sacked twice on the same drive, including a nine-yard loss from Javontae Jean-Baptiste, who powered his way into the backfield to force a second-and-19. International Pathway player T.J. Maguranyanga also got in on the action, forcing a second-and-long in the second quarter.
In total, the Commanders got five sacks on the Lions’ quarterbacks, which is another good sign of how much progress the unit has made this offseason. They struggled to generate consistent pressure on quarterbacks last season, but they appear to be having much more success in that regard, despite players like Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson missing the game with injuries.
3. Athan Kaliakmanis looked comfortable.
The Commanders are still deciding whether they need to keep three quarterbacks on the initial roster, and Athan Kaliakmanis is making a strong case that he needs to be the third player in the room.
Kaliakmanis is not like Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota in terms of his skill set. He’s not the type of player who will make defenders miss or get into the second level of the defense on a scramble. But he does have some solid traits. He looked comfortable running the offense and delivered some accurate throws on the move. He also knows how to maneuver in the pocket to buy himself some time. He finished the day completing 78% of his passes for 162 yards and was not sacked.
But what stood out the most about Kaliakmanis was his ability to stretch the field with his arm, which was not necessarily a highlighted part of his skill set in the draft process. He laid out a pass for Nick Nash down the sideline in the fourth quarter, which turned into a 55-yard gain. He also had another pass to Jaden Bradley in the third quarter that resulted in a 30-yard pickup.
Kaliakmanis is in a battle with Sam Hartman for the final quarterback spot on the roster. He certainly helped himself today, but expect the competition to continue all the way through the preseason finale.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
A to Z Sports
Quan Martin is on a preseason redemption tour that the defense desperately needs
Washington Commanders free safety Quan Martin is making a legitimate push for first-string consideration after recording his second interception in as many preseason games.
Martin’s latest takeaway came off veteran journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs, and the play demonstrated exactly the kind of ball-hawking instinct Washington’s defense desperately needs heading into 2026.
And, it’s a great story considering Martin’s potential after a solid sophomore year that unfortunately led to double-shoulder surgery that certainly impacted his junior season.
The defensive backfield in Washington is not good enough to overlook what Martin has done so far. Trey Amos, Amik Robertson, and Mike Sainristil at cornerback will likely stay put at their respective positions.
But Nick Cross and Reaves at safety? I don’t think there’s a sizable gap between their play and Martin’s play for a possible roster shakeup before Week 1.
Here’s the point: Washington had the second-worst turnover differential in the league last year at -13. The Commanders managed only eight interceptions and two fumble recoveries. That’s 10 total turnovers throughout their entire 2025 season.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
A to Z Sports
Sonny Styles is fine, and everyone needs to calm down
Do not take stock in the idea that Styles had a bad day. He did fine. It is still my working theory that Washington is not deploying him in the preseason the way they would in the regular season.
The one idea I hope the Commanders’ defensive scheme does not have is Styles in a high-usage pass coverage position at linebacker.
That’s very Isaiah Simmons-esque. He is not a safety-linebacker hybrid, in my opinion. He is a linebacker-edge rusher hybrid. Why show your hand & tip off offenses on how Washington will use this guy in actual pass rush situations?
Right now he’s playing the linebacker position as intended. Follow the ball, flow back in your zone coverage. He looks fast. His hips look good. He still looks massive on the field.
The reaction was baffling. It’s almost like pre-bust talk, & it’s absurd. People watched one Lawrence Taylor documentary about him coming into the Giants in the 1980s and now everyone thinks you have to be the top dog, immediately.
Guess what? Styles is already first-string. But there is old hurt in Washington. People have seen the busts come in and out. The negativity is premeditated. People are trying to lower their expectations so they won’t be as hurt if it doesn’t pan out. I’m not dampening mine. He was fine.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Photos
Commanders.com
Commanders vs. Lions | preseason Week 2
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders during their preseason Week 2 game against the Detroit Lions
Podcasts & videos
Logan Paulsen gives an immediate analysis on the Washington Commanders vs. Detroit Lions preseason game
Commanders’ OL concerns linger; Defense makes big plays in Detroit | John Keim Report
PASS PRO WARNING: Jayden Daniels Debut Shows Commanders’ Real Problem
NFC East links
Big Blue View
What did we learn from the Giants’ 26-3 win over the Miami Dolphins?
A convincing win against a depleted opponent, but little clarity on roster battles
We’re all just happy to be watching football again, but we can’t help but try to parse the results of the New York Giants’ preseason games for what they mean for the upcoming regular season. Here are Pro Football Focus’ top seven NFL teams after the three 2025 preseason games:
Yes, your 3-0 New York Football Giants were PFF’s top-ranked team in the 2025 preseason. It made sense based on a victory on the road over Super Bowl contender Buffalo, plus a blowout 31-12 win over the Jets and an an even bigger 42-10 stomping of the woeful Patriots, who did little in Drake Maye’s rookie season. Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart gave the Giants their best quarterback room in ages, and No. 3 draft pick Abdul Carter was going to make an already strong Giants pass rush even stronger.
The regular season didn’t quite turn out that way for the Giants. Not for the Patriots, either. The preseason performance rankings did have some merit otherwise – Super Bowl Champion Seattle and NFL Championship Game losers Denver and Los Angeles were right there in the top seven as well, as was Chicago, who took a big step forward in Caleb Williams’ sophomore season and gave the Rams all they could handle. John Harbaugh’s perennial playoff Ravens team was no surprise in the No. 2 preseason spot, but things didn’t turn out so well for Harbaugh’s team once the games counted.
So there’s not really a lot we can tell from preseason games other than which players’ stock might be rising or falling as cutdowns loom in the fairly near future. Many of the Giants’ starters did not play in tonight’s rain-soaked game against the Miami Dolphins. On top of that, the Dolphins are undergoing a major rebuild, and their few recognizable starters played little or not at all either. As a result the Giants dominated this game from start to finish, but without making any of their roster decisions any clearer. Let’s try to read the tea leaves to the extent we can, though.
OBJ’s future is still up in the air
Quarterback Jameis Winston tried to get the ball to Odell Beckham Jr. when he entered the game, targeting him four times. One one play OBJ made the catch and then put a nice move on the defensive back to get more yards and a first down. That play had the look of a player you want on the team. Then a little later, Winston found OBJ in the back of the end zone for a leaping catch and a TD … except that Beckham let the ball go through his hands.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bleeding Green Nation
Eagles-Patriots preseason observations and notes
The Philadelphia Eagles continued their preseason schedule with a LOSS to the New England Patriots. Final score, which doesn’t matter, but we’re logging it here anyway: 24 to 21.
To no surprise, the Eagles rested their starters once again.
After last week’s total stinker against the Baltimore Ravens, it was refreshing to see the Eagles have moments of good football on Saturday night. This was a much more entertaining experience.
The offense, while far from perfect, actually looked functional at times. Especially the running game. Perhaps Sean Mannion calling plays from the booth instead of the field helped?
Read on for some noteworthy moments from Saturday night.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Ja’Quinden Jackson injury: Eagles RB leaves Patriots preseason game in ambulance
Things got scary for running back Ja’Quinden Jackson from the jump in the Eagles-Patriots preseason game on Saturday night. Jackson got knocked out during the opening kickoff and the ambulance came out onto the field as a result.
It did not look good initially, with Jackson lying motionless on the field after making a special teams tackle and both teams sending their medical staff to help. Thankfully, he was able to give a thumbs up as he was carted into the emergency vehicle. The team released some good news shortly afterward, to confirm that Jackson has full movement in all extremities.
NFL league links
Articles
Discussion topics
The Athletic (paywall)
The Browns are living in denial. Deshaun Watson has never been their answer at QB
For months, the Cleveland Browns foolishly thought they could bring Deshaun Watson back for one more go with minimal distraction.
With a quarterback decision looming, Saturday reinforced that the Browns have been living in denial. Watson was booed multiple times by the home crowd in the preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills, and he responded in his postgame news conference by taking on the boos and the fans delivering them.
Awkward and unseemly as the whole thing may be, the reaction actually has a lot to do with performance. Watson stunk for three seasons in Cleveland and missed a fourth while rehabbing from a twice-torn right Achilles tendon. He’s worked his way back to the field, but there’s clearly still work to be done by the team in explaining why Watson might be the best option as the battle with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job continues.
What’s the upside here? What, really, is Watson thinking about his present and future in Cleveland? And does anybody really benefit from a first-year head coach dealing with his quarterback getting booed in his home stadium?
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
