The Daily Slop – 20 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
Sports Illustrated
Albert Breer Empties His Commanders Notebook From Training Camp
Dan Quinn is very much trying to instill a hard edge into his team after he felt like it lost a little bit of that in a come-back-to-earth 2025 season. So what does that mean? Longer practices, more time in pads, and conditioning and hardening a team under
the sauna of the DMV summer. It has also meant more game-like conditions for everyone to sharpen their skills. More than anyone else, that’s applied to Quinn’s two new coordinators—David Blough on offense and Daronte Jones on defense. The Commanders are conducting mostly 11-on-11 periods, and most of that work’s been done in “call it” periods, where the coaches don’t have a script, are calling plays against each other and reacting to the circumstances in the moment. That’s great training, of course, for Blough and Jones as they build toward the season.
This won’t be the Kliff Kingsbury offense he worked under the past two years. There are sprinkles of that, and the Sean McVay–influenced offense he played in under Kevin O’Connell. But there are more of Ben Johnson’s concepts than anyone else’s in what the Commanders are doing, if you had to drill down on the specifics. And that means a pretty significant change for Jayden Daniels. And, quietly, I get the sense that the staff can’t wait for the football world to see what Daniels is going to be in 2026—especially since a lot of that world seems to have forgotten 2024.
The offensive line has questions, particularly after the loss of star left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps. There’s a shot that he’ll make it back for the playoffs, but the Commanders won’t know for another 6–8 weeks, so they’re moving forward on the assumption that they’ll be without him this year.
Javon Kinlaw’s shown an ability to line up all over the place, and hyper-athletic edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson, imported from the Chargers and Patriots, respectively, look like potential Swiss Army knives for Jones as he builds the scheme. And you can put No. 7 pick Sonny Styles in that category, too, as a guy who’s lived up to his reputation in just about every way and looks physically freakish, even among NFL players.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Commanders Film Review: Matt Gulbin vs Dolphins
Julian Good-Jones, the back up center, started in place of Allegretti which in turn elevated Gulbin to the second unit.
Gulbin certainly didn’t look out of place with the second team offense. Granted, the Dolphins are a rebuilding team and lack depth across the roster, meaning he wasn’t facing the strongest opposition. So keep that in mind here as we work through the performance. But Gulbin can’t control who lines up across from him so it’s still worth seeing how he did. Let’s start with the run game.
Undrafted free agent running back Robert Henry Jr. had an impressive outing against the Dolphins, but it was no coincidence that many of his explosive runs came on plays where Gulbin had some important blocks.
Sports Illustrated
The Good and Not So Good From Commanders’ 13th Training Camp Practice
Javon Kinlaw is one of the guys who could get more work if Johnny Newton is out for an extended amount of time. He looked like the wild man Washington needs more of this season, stopping Allen for a loss during team drills. Washington needs him to be the disrupter they paid for when they signed him. D.J. Davidson pulled off a play every guy looking to make the final 53 wishes they could by stripping Robert Henry Jr. and running it back for what would have been six points.
Washington again struggled with pre-snap penalties, something that has plagued them all summer and has now stretched into preseason. Washington has now had enough practices with false starts/pre-snap mistakes that it can no longer be written off as one sloppy session. The offense can survive those mistakes on a training-camp field, but Quinn will want to see evidence in preseason game reps that the problem is being cleaned up.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
7 supreme standouts from Washington Commanders 2026 training camp Day 13
Tyler Owens – Commanders DB
Tyler Owens has always had elite-level athleticism. The Commanders have utilized him primarily on special teams over the first two years of his professional career, but there are growing signs that this could change under new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones.
It’s been evident throughout training camp that Jones is trying to find ways to get Owens onto the field. He’s being used as a box safety, big nickel cornerback, and even across the linebacker positions within the new 3-4 front. This is bringing a positive response from the Texas Tech product, who looks ready to make a much bigger impact this season.
Nick Cross – Commanders S
There is an intriguing competition developing for the second starting safety position. But everyone already knows who the alpha on Washington’s defensive back end is.
Nick Cross was an intriguing addition to the ranks this offseason. The Commanders believe he can be the tone-setting presence this team hasn’t had since Jeremy Chinn left town, and the impressive start made this summer only lends further weight to these claims.
According to those in attendance, it was a good day for Cross. He blew up a couple of screen passes and always seemed to be around the action. The former Maryland standout has great vision and anticipation, which is key within the scheme new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones plans to run.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Last Man Standig (paywall)
Commanders DT Johnny Newton undergoes pec surgery, expected to miss significant time
Losing Newton is the latest depth subtraction since the start of camp. D.J. Davidson was expected to compete for a role before retiring.
Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw, the primary DT/3-4 ends, have been disruptive presences at the line of scrimmage in practice. Projected nose tackle Tim Settle missed the past week with a calf strain. Quinn suggested Settle could be close to returning to practice.
Shy Tuttle has capably filled in at nose tackle. Second-year DT Ricky Barber, a roster candidate, and UDFA Jeffrey M’ba will receive additional work. Washington recently signed veteran free agents Byron Cowart and Maurice Hurst.
For more from Ben Standig, click here
Commanders.com
Practice notes | Injury updates to key defensive players
Head coach Dan Quinn said Odafe Oweh strained his calf and is sitting out of practice until he recovers. K’Lavon Chaisson suffered a knee injury during the joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, and the team is being cautious with his recovery. Linebacker Jordan Magee suffered a shoulder injury and will be held out for the rest of the week. None of these injuries are considered long-term issues, but that is not the case with Johnny Newton, who is getting his pectoral muscle examined in New York. Quinn said the injury could sideline Newton for a while, but they are waiting for the diagnosis to determine his status.
— On a more positive note, Tim Settle Jr. has made progress in his recovery and hit “a big marker” in his return to play process, Quinn said. The expectation is that he will be back soon, although Quinn did not provide a specific date.
[T]here have been several questions about whether Daniels will get any action against the Lions this weekend. The preseason finale hasn’t been part of that discussion, but seeing as how the starters will likely get most of the work in the two teams’ joint practice next week and starters across the league rarely play in the final preseason game, it’s likely that this weekend’s matchup would be the only opportunity for Daniels to be in a game scenario. Quinn has not revealed his thought process on this other than to say he and the staff will take the entire week of practice into consideration and make a determination before Saturday.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL.com
2026 NFL season: Top 10 contenders for Comeback Player of the Year
Rank 3 – Jayden Daniels – WAS QB
Coming back from: Knee/hamstring/elbow injuries.
The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year cleared the injury hurdle this offseason, but his ability to stay healthy and reclaim the phenomenal form of his first year will likely tell the story of the 2026 Commanders. Daniels led the resurrection of the Washington franchise as a rookie, quarterbacking the team to its first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991. Then came 2025, a season marred by injuries for Daniels and a free fall back to earth for the Commanders, who went 5-12 — the exact opposite of their record in the feel-good 2024 campaign. After ailments limited Daniels to just seven games and only two wins as a starter, the player who seemed like an instant D.C. savior must put his cape back on. As a passer and runner, Daniels had 4,459 yards of offense and 31 offensive TDs in 2024. Will that Daniels be back?
Notable: The only Washington player to win Comeback Player of the Year was Alex Smith in 2020.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
The Athletic (paywall)
Suspended Commanders defender kicked officer during arrest, according to police
Washington Commanders outside linebacker Dorance Armstrong kicked a police officer while being arrested during an incident in May 2025 in Frisco, Texas, according to police and court records. The NFL on Friday announced that Armstrong was suspended for the first game of the upcoming regular season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy
Armstrong accepted a plea deal with “deferred adjudication community supervision,” meaning he pleaded guilty but the court held off on entering his conviction. He was placed on nine months of conditional probation in January and was ordered to pay a $100 fine and perform community service.
The reporting officer noted that Armstrong smelled of alcohol and was “clearly upset” to see law enforcement arrive. He began to shout profanities at the officers, calling one of them “a b—-” and telling them to leave, the report says. The officers noticed that Armstrong’s right hand was bleeding and he had blood on his shirt.
Gaston told one of the officers that he and Armstrong had been at a “business meeting” since about 1 p.m. that day and that Armstrong “drank too many alcoholic beverages” and had been arguing with his girlfriend, according to the report. Armstrong and Gaston had not yet gone inside the home when officers arrived, the report says, and Armstrong had punched the brick exterior out of anger, injuring his right hand.
Armstrong’s girlfriend informed the officer that they had been arguing for most of the day but that there had been no physical altercation between them.
With the officers still there, Armstrong entered the backyard of the home through a side gate and pounded on the windows and doors and kicked the back door to try to get inside.
He was arrested for public intoxication and placed in handcuffs, but as officers began to walk him to the patrol car, he began to resist and started to walk in the opposite direction, they reported.
When the third officer tried to reach over Armstrong to connect his seat belt, Armstrong turned and kicked the officer in his chest, according to the arrest report.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
The Athletic (paywall)
NFL Projection Model predicts a top-heavy NFC: Will it come down to Rams vs. Seahawks?
My NFL Projection Model doubted the Seattle Seahawks last year and looked foolish. And did it learn its lesson? Nope!
The Washington Commanders and New York Giants aren’t hopeless, but the model sees their rosters as significantly weaker than those of the Eagles and Cowboys. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels and New York’s Jaxson Dart must stay healthy and take the next step for either of these teams to be contenders. Washington added a handful of solid veterans in free agency to bolster the defense, so that will be worth monitoring. As for the Giants, can new head coach John Harbaugh raise this team’s floor? If so, how high?
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL.com
One potential first-time Pro Bowler from each NFC team heading into the 2026 NFL season
The Commanders signed Odafe Oweh to provide pop to a pass rush that faltered too much in recent seasons. The athletic edge boasts 17.5 sacks over the past two campaigns. In 2025, he took off in 12 games with the Chargers, recording 7.5 sacks after being traded by Baltimore. Oweh’s 15.8% pressure rate over the full ’25 campaign was in line with the top tier of edge rushers, tying him with Aidan Hutchinson and former teammate Tuli Tuipulotu. If Oweh can continue making that impact with increased snaps, his counting production should skyrocket. The Commanders’ defense needed an overhaul. A Pro Bowl campaign from one of the team’s key additions would go a long way to getting Dan Quinn’s squad back on track.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Still getting ready for preseason game No. 2
The Washington Commanders were back on the field after taking the weekend off to begin preparations for the Detroit Lions. Check out the top photos from the morning
Podcasts & videos
Washington Commanders Deep Dive with Martenzie Johnson | The Big Doug & Carmi Show
Sam Cosmi Talks New Offense, Training Camp & Stefon Diggs I BMitch & Finlay
This is a very entertaining and informative interview with the Commanders starting right guard; recommended! (For some reason, BMitch & Finlay don’t allow youtube videos to be embedded)
Camp Updates: Jayden Daniels, Fans, Health Updates | John Keim Report
NFC East links
Blogging the Boys
3 losers from Cowboys fight-filled scrimmage against Saints
It really was not all that long ago that nearly the entire hopes of the Cowboys generating a pass rush in 2026 seemingly rested on the shoulders of second-year draft pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, who had a promising rookie campaign despite being in horrible circumstances for the defense as a whole in 2025.
Good on the Cowboys for adding Rashan Gary since this time, Malachi Lawrence in the draft, and then earlier this week Von Miller as well, but the reason we now have to feel much better about these veteran additions instead of continuing to hype up Ezeiruaku still feels yucky.
For the second time this training camp, Ezeiruaku was told to hit the showers early for fighting, this time throwing a punch at a Saints player.
The Miller acquisition was an awesome immediate response to get better in this area even after just one preseason game, but in order to keep the upside of this veteran addition high, the Cowboys need their young talent to come along on the edge as well.
Ezeiruaku is supposed to be the cream of the crop in this regard, but now has a potential mountain (or at least a decent hill) to climb just to be back in the good graces of this coaching staff.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Big Blue View
NY Giants’ guard depth after Daniel Faalele trade
Daniel Faalele was expected to be the New York Giants’ swing guard, providing depth behind Jon Runyan Jr. and Francis Mauigoa. Now, Faalele is a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars after a Wednesday morning trade. So, what does the Giants’ guard depth look like folloewing that surprise move?
Let’s go player-by-player through the options.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
Pro Football Talk
Deshaun Watson on the reception he’ll get from Browns fans: “I don’t care”
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has regularly been booed in Cleveland, and that may happen again on Saturday, when the Browns play their preseason home opener. Watson isn’t worried about it.
Asked what kind of reaction he thinks he’ll get from Browns fans on Saturday at the stadium, Watson said it doesn’t matter to him.
“I don’t care. I don’t care,” Watson said.
It’s obvious why Watson gets booed: Trading for him has proven to be the single worst roster transaction in NFL history. The Browns gave up three first-round picks, a second-round pick, a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick to get Watson, then gave him an unprecedented five-year, $230 million gully guaranteed contract. For that, Watson has played a total of just 19 games in four seasons, and has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL in those 19 games. And the Browns made the move for Watson despite knowing he had been accused of sexually assaulting some two dozen massage therapists, accusations that resulted in Watson being suspended for the first 11 games of his time in Cleveland.
Discussion topics
Front Office Sports
NFL Fans in the Smallest Markets Are Buying the Most Merchandise
Exclusive Nielsen data shows NFL fans in some of the smallest markets, such as Buffalo and Kansas City, buy the most team apparel
Built on the latest edition of the company’s nationally syndicated consumer study that surveys more than 200,000 U.S. adults every year, the index assessed the NFL’s 30 markets on eight key metrics to determine where the most avid football fans live. Those metrics were apparel purchases, event attendance, streaming, social media following, TV viewership, radio listening, betting intent, and overall interest level.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Front Office Sports
NFL Isn’t Happy With Nielsen’s Latest Methodology Changes
Nielsen is changing its methodology for the upcoming 2026–27 television season, but the NFL is anything but happy about it.
The league tells Front Office Sports that the forthcoming shifts,led by an enhancement in co-viewing measurement and taking effect Aug. 31, are “overly rushed.”
The league has long felt that its audiences, though by far the largest in U.S. television, were still being undercounted amid the hefty group-watching inherent to football fandom.
Crux of the Issue
The NFL has several issues with Nielsen, but two stand out most: the enhanced methodology for measurement co-viewing and the newly updated weighting formulas within the Big Data + Panel process introduced last year.
On both fronts, the league believes fans actually watching NFL games are still not being properly reflected in the audience counts. With co-viewing in particular, Ballew believes properly measured results are likely at least two years away.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
