LB Kain Medrano put on active PUP list; Tress Way to NFI
The Daily Slop – 30 July 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
The Athletic (paywall)
How Daronte Jones, NFL ‘Renaissance Man,’ finally returned home with the Commanders
Daronte Jones’ 14th move took him from Minneapolis, where he was the defensive backs coach of the Minnesota Vikings, to suburban Washington, where he is now the defensive coordinator
of the Commanders. His new home field, Northwest Stadium, is around the corner from the elementary and middle schools where he first played football. He and his wife moved to McLean, Va., a short drive to the Commanders’ training facility in Ashburn.
“Details kind of separate you from being average and being really good,” said Ken Norton Jr., the Commanders’ veteran linebackers coach who is working with Jones for the first time. “And he knows his details. He understands that we need to understand what the details are of each and every position and each and every coverage.”
For Jones, that comes from a lifetime in coaching, from the countless mentors and peers who have provided lessons along the way.
Over the phone, Brian Flores, the well-respected defensive coordinator of the Vikings, ticked off the virtues and talents of Daronte Jones, his former defensive backs coach. He’s creative, not afraid to test the limits, has a great way of relating to players — all the stuff you’d expect a boss to say when extolling the virtues of an understudy who advanced.
Then he landed on a greater truth.
“We call him the Renaissance Man,” Flores said.
The Renaissance Man?
“I mean, he’s the best-dressed guy in the building,” Flores said. “He’s got the best bags and luggage. He’s the most traveled. He has been all over the world.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Heavy.com
Jacory Croskey-Merritt has made a big change this offseason
[John Keim] explained how Jacory Croskey-Merritt, ‘Bill’ said that he has added about seven to eight pounds of muscle. He looked bigger.”
Keim also found out the reasoning behind Croskey-Merritt adding to his frame: “I asked him why he wanted to do? Well, it’s simple. He wants to break more tackles, and he can become the dynamic runner they need.”
Making the most of Blough’s schemes will require Croskey-Merritt getting more from each carry, so it makes sense for him to bulk up, particularly when last year’s seventh-round pick only broke a tackle every 13.5 rushing attempts as a rookie, according to Pro Football Reference.
A struggle keeping runs going after initial contact is one reason why the Croskey-Merritt struggled to earn enough carries in too many games.
The more pressing adjustment for Croskey-Merrit involves ball security. He put the ball on the ground four times in 2025, so a change in mechanics is needed. Unfortunately, Keim noticed JCM “did have one run today which really nice run but at times you see that ball kind of extending from his body a little bit and so you want to make sure he’s taking care of the ball.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
2026 Washington Commanders training camp: Latest intel, updates
Tuesday, July 28
With Tress Way sidelined by a pectoral injury, the Commanders signed veteran punter Matt Haack. Way, signed in 2015, is Washington’s longest-tenured player and signed a one-year deal this offseason.
Peters said cornerback Trey Amos, who fractured his fibula in November, had some “soft-tissue issues” in the offseason was placed on the physically unable to perform list as a precautionary measure. Peters said Amos should return soon.
Wednesday, July 29
Receiver Terry McLaurin has continued working with young wideouts after practice, as he did in the spring. He was giving tips to rookie receiver Jaden Bradley and second-year receiver Jacoby Jones. Both are facing tough battles just to make the roster. But McLaurin spent time with them after practice, covering them and giving them tips on how to handle certain coverages.
Quinn said defensive end Dorance Armstrong, who tore his ACL in Week 6 last season, is “super close” to returning. Armstrong opened camp on the physically unable to perform list.
Nick Allegretti, the favorite to start at center, left practice early for an undisclosed reason. He’s battling Julian Good-Jones for the starting job.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Rasul Douglas wants to ‘be ready’ for any opportunity he gets in Commanders’ defense
Rasul Douglas doesn’t know much about his situation with the Washington Commanders yet.
Wednesday was his first day with the team, so he doesn’t know much about his teammates aside from those he has either trained with — Antonio Hamilton Sr. and Nick Cross — or played with at a previous stop like Amik Robertson. He’s never played for Daronte Jones before, so he’s still learning the new system.
Here’s what he does know, though: he wants to be part of what the Commanders are building, and he wants to add something the defense struggled to get in 2025.
“Turnovers,” Douglas said. “That’s what I do. I get turnovers.”
He’s listed as 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds, which makes him the biggest cornerback on the roster. The Commanders like their options in Robertson and Mike Sainristil, but Douglas has the size and length to hang with bigger receivers on the perimeter.
Douglas is now one of the most experienced players in the cornerback room. He’s played in 135 games for five teams spread across nine seasons. He’s also been a starter more often than not in his career, and was most recently a fixture of the Miami Dolphins’ defense. He started 13 games in 2025, recording 62 tackles and two interceptions in that span.
All that’s to say, Douglas is used to being in unfamiliar situations. He’s worked in several defensive schemes over the years, and one thing he has learned is that players coming into new situations need to “be ready” for anything.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
JP Finlay
Training Camp Day 1: Good day for WRs
[I]f they keep saying they like the current group – even if Peters allowed the organization is always looking to get better at every position – maybe we should believe them?
Training Camp Day 1 was a good day for the believe them crowd.
Dyami Brown and Treylon Burks both made toe tap touchdown grabs on contested catches. Rookie Antonio Williams repeatedly made impressive grabs, showing quickness and speed, which are different.
It’s too early to be too excited about any of the receivers not named McLaurin, but in a primarily red zone practice, the receiver group answered the bell. Williams in particular made a move on Commanders LB Leo Chenal that looked close to unstoppable.
The question for Williams will be what happens when the pads come on. The slippery rook has impressed, but let’s see him do it facing press coverage against a long-armed NFL corner like Amik Robertson, or when the threat of a shoulder pop from Chenal impacts the possible movement in the open field.
It was just one day, but it was a good one for the receiving group. (That still doesn’t preclude Adam Peters from signing another vet.)
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Training camp notebook | Commanders up the competition in spirited Day 1
The battle for the No. 2 wide receiver spot will continue throughout camp, but there were a pair of early standouts. Burks was a frequent target by all the quarterbacks he worked with and had some impressive catches. His best of the day came near the end of practice, when Mariota lofted a pass in the corner of the end zone to the former first-round pick. Despite having solid coverage around him, Burks came down with the catch and celebrated with his teammates. However, the arguably better catch was made by Dyami Brown, who caught a pass on the same route from Daniels. Brown, who spent a year with the Jacksonville Jaguars before returning to Washington, is determined to make an impact this upcoming season. He was spotted after practice working with the defensive backs to try and improve his separation at the line of scrimmage. Brown has a good relationship with Daniels, so perhaps that bond will help give him an edge in the competition at wide receiver.
For those wondering about returner options, here are the players who caught punts during special teams drills: Lane, Luke McCaffrey, Burks, Mike Sainristil, Rober Henry Jr., River Cracraft and Williams.
There was plenty of attention on the Commanders’ pass rush and all the investments they made to improve it this offseason, and there were some early returns on Wednesday. Charles Omenihu had a nice swipe move against Andrew Wylie, which forced Sam Hartman to hurry a throw to Chris Hilton Jr. that fell incomplete. Later in the day, Odafe Oweh and his 34.5-inch arms swatted away a pass from Daniels.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Why Commanders’ rebuilt pass rush could change everything for Jayden Daniels
Consistent defensive pressure can end drives and give Washington’s offense more favorable possessions. That would reduce the number of times Daniels feels compelled to play hero ball to compensate for defensive problems that have already put the offense in a difficult situation.
Day 1 offered a brief glimpse into what the rebuilt front can provide from an offensive development standpoint. Its greatest value may be in making Daniels more prepared during camp and less responsible for doing everything once the season begins.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Last Man Standig
Day 1: Jayden Daniels embraces Commanders’ leadership mantle: “Now it’s my team for sure”
There’s no scoreboard in training camp, but Day 1’s emphasis on the red zone belonged to the defense. Washington’s revamped unit clogged passing lanes, disguised pressures and repeatedly challenged the passing game.
This was not Daniels’ sharpest practice. His accuracy wavered at times against an active, swarming defense. But he also flashed the control and anticipation expected from a third-year starter while embracing another element of his development: taking more snaps from under center.
Rather than viewing the adjustment as a challenge, Daniels called it “a weapon for me.”
The throws will come and go throughout camp. Daniels’ willingness to embrace the franchise’s leadership mantle feels far more lasting.
For more from Ben Standig, click here
From ESPN:
Coach Dan Quinn said the staff is hearing Daniels correct teammates more at the line of scrimmage, letting them know to line up in a different place, for example.
“That’s probably the best example of his leadership,” Quinn said.
Daniels organized multiple offseason workouts in California, including one earlier this month that was attended by at least 10 teammates. During the spring, he and backup quarterback Marcus Mariota would hold film sessions with the receivers — something they have typically done in season, but not in the spring.
“He’s a laid-back guy and leads by example, ‘Hey, I want this route like this. Hey, what do you think about this?'” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “Having those conversations, texting me, sending clips [of plays] and showing the initiative to get guys together on multiple occasions, it says a lot about your franchise quarterback.”
To read more of this ESPN article, CLICK HERE
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Commanders kick off 2026 training camp
The Washington Commanders were on the field for the third training camp under head coach Dan Quinn. Check out the top photos of all the action during Wednesday morning’s practice.
