The Commanders training camp and preseason took an odd trajectory. Optimism pervaded through everything done at the beginning, even when Nick Allegretti suffered a calf injury and Trey Amos wasn’t practicing, and it became unavoidable that Washington needed a No. 2 receiver.
It crescendoed a few weeks later when Stefon Diggs got signed and held an all-timer of an introductory press conference.
But then Laremy Tunsil got hurt and Johnny Newton went down and Allegretti and Amos kept not coming back and all
these small injuries kept cropping up. Thejoint practice versus Baltimore and the lack of post-cut additions seemed to keep pushing vibes down.
Now we’re nearing the regular season and Commanders sentiment seems worse than before.
It’s not all doom-and-gloom in Washington, with this roster holding several pluses as we enter the 2026 campaign. Let’s provide some counter programming here and talk about Commanders roster strengths heading into Week 1.
Jayden Daniels and the QB room
Expectations for Jayden Daniels’ third NFL season are varied. Some expect him to return to 2024 production and remind everyone why he was named offensive rookie of the year. Others have somehow forgotten that season ever existed. Others panic about the lack of a supporting cast (more on that later).
Those who watched Commanders practice all summer have a different take on Daniels. He has been super accurate and throwing receivers open while having no trouble acclimating to David Blough’s new offensive system despite it’s increased under-center requirements.
Daniels has taken the steps required to be a force in 2026 and, if you’re going to discuss any position among a roster’s strengths, quarterback is what you want. Daniels can be an upper-tier starter and Marcus Mariota’s returning from an MCL sprain to be a quality backup.
You don’t want Athan Kaliakmanis playing in a game right now, but there’s hope he develops into someone who can down the line.
Frontline skill players
The Commanders have quality group of skill players who can perform almost any function well. They have Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs as frontline producers in the passing game. They’ve got a talented slot option in Antonio Williams. Want a receiving tight end who can line up anywhere? Chig Okonkwo. A blocking tight end? John Bates. A running back who excels at catching passes? Rachaad White. How about an agile zone runner which good burst? Bill Croskey-Merritt.
You certainly see my point here, that the Commanders have a man for every offensive requirement. If they use them well and top talents perform to expectation – and Daniels gets protection — Washington will be able to move the ball well.
Pass rushers are a plus
Remember way back when – like three weeks ago – when the Commanders pass rush looked explosive and a real force? You should. That occurred when Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson were healthy and active in camp. Daron Payne and newcomer Charles Omenihu are capable of getting good push up front. We saw examples of blitzers being impactful – think Amik Robertson getting home versus Detroit – and the group working well together
The Oweh and Chaisson injuries seem short-term, even though they felt long ‘cause training camp’s a vortex with so much going on each day with the same passage of time. Those guys are back. So is Payne. Now add in the Daronte Jones wrinkles we haven’t see yet and this defense will be able to get after the quarterback.
Linebacker speed
Some folks didn’t love Sonny Styles’ preseason performances, but that’s a small sample size compared to how he worked all camp. And don’t get me started on individual reps caught on video with no context.
The first-round pick is going to be fine. We saw essentially nothing from Frankie Luvu in the preseason, and I think Leo Chenal will find an impactful role within the scheme. There’s little doubt about Styles’ speed. When he starts playing fast, we’ll see his true impact. There’s optimism about Luvu’s return to form and I’m still a big Chenal believer within Jones’ scheme. This was a position group of strength to start camp. It remains so now.
