The Daily Slop – 28 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
5 Questions Commanders Still Must Answer Before Final Roster Cuts
3. How Many Running Backs Can Washington Keep?
The running back room became a lot more interesting once the preseason started. Jacory Croskey-Merritt showed up to camp with more muscle
and ready to compete, but he has what Dan Quinn has described as a lower-body issue that he’s working through. Kaytron Allen has continued strengthening his case, while Robert Henry Jr. went from being an afterthought in most roster projections to somebody Washington has to seriously consider after his performance against Miami. Jeremy McNichols looked fairly secure as the veteran fourth back entering camp before a quadriceps injury removed him from several important late-preseason opportunities. Washington then signed veteran Craig Reynolds, initially because the team simply needed another healthy running back to get through practices and games. Still, every additional body adds another option. The decision here can’t be made strictly by looking at rushing totals either. Pass protection, special teams, third-down reliability, and which backs can actually be active on game day will matter. Allen and Henry have made this a much harder decision than it seemed a month ago, and Washington now has to decide whether the young backs have done enough to change the original roster math.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Why Athan Kaliakmanis should replace Sam Hartman on the Commanders roster
Kaliakmanis has completed 17 of 24 passes for 249 yards, averaging 10.38 yards per attempt with zero interceptions and an aggregate passer rating that reflects a quarterback playing with confidence rather than just managing the game. His 10.38 yards per attempt is elite by any standard — in the regular season, that number would rank among the best in the NFL. It’s preseason, yes. But the traits it reflects — arm talent, intermediate accuracy, downfield aggressiveness, comfort in the pocket — don’t disappear when the games start counting.
The scheme fit matters too. David Blough’s offense is built on play-action, RPOs, and rollouts that require a quarterback who can plant and drive the ball downfield from unconventional platforms. Kaliakmanis looks more comfortable after two preseason games than Hartman has in three years of being in the building.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Mailbag: Bill and a roster long shot (or two)
Do you feel Jacory Croskey-Merritt has improved his pass blocking enough this offseason to warrant more snaps on third downs?
I would say so, and it’s arguably what has stood out the most about Croskey-Merritt, who had a good camp. His struggles in that area were one of the reasons he received fewer carries in the middle of last season, despite his abilities with the ball in his hands. There’s more to being an NFL running back than carrying the ball; it’s something that every rookie player at the position must learn. I don’t think he was ever unwilling to pass block, but learning the proper techniques and physical requirements can take time. Croskey-Merritt has put his full effort into improving that area of his skill set, and it has shown up on the field.
That’s going to get him more snaps on the field, and if fans have shown anything over the past year, it’s that they love when they see Bill in the lineup.
Who’s your long shots for making the season-opening 53?
The one that comes to my mind is Antonio Hamilton Sr. He has such a good story being an 11-year veteran who has bounced around the league. He was with the Commanders last year and performed well in spot duty. He does have some length to his frame, but what really makes him stand out is his energy and enthusiasm. He gives his all on every play, and that kind of effort matters to coaches. If he does make the team, it would likely be mostly for special teams purposes, but players like Hamilton are welcome in that unit. I have no idea how many cornerbacks they plan to keep, but if they do keep five, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was one of them.
I think you could make the same case for Ale Kaho.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
A to Z Sports
Washington Commanders’ new offense could unlock the best version of Jayden Daniels yet
“Get a quarterback under center. Gives you so many different looks, throws a defense off,” Anderson said. “It’s not just sitting in the pistol knowing that it’s one of three plays that’s going to happen.”
Anderson noted that early reports out of training camp suggest the offense is not coming together quickly, which he views as a positive sign rather than a negative one. A longer installation process should keep defenses off balance over the full 17-game slate.
Washington needs variance to avoid the Miami trap
The biggest risk for Blough’s offense is falling into a predictable pattern.
Anderson pointed to the Miami Dolphins’ timing-based attack under coach Mike McDaniel as a cautionary tale. That system was easily dissolved once defenses realized it ran the same concepts out of the same three formations, requiring defenders only to fill three predetermined spots to shut it down.
Washington cannot afford to be one-dimensional.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Pro Football Talk
Commanders’ online store sells out of merchandise with old name and logo
Controversial or not, there’s an appetite for merchandise with the Commanders’ outdated name and logo.
Via Eric Flack of WUSA, who first reported on the sale of gear bearing the abandoned name and logo earlier this week, all items featuring the old logo and name at the team’s online store have sold out.
Per Flack, items remain available at the team’s brick-and-mortar store.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
2026 NFL season: Ranking all 32 teams’ watchability, excitement
13. Washington Commanders
The Commanders were my most watchable team entering 2025 off Jayden Daniels‘ uproarious Offensive Rookie of the Year season, penchant for close games (they won on multiple Hail Mary plays, remember) and a high pace of play that made for a lot more football. Of course, I didn’t calculate absolutely everyone getting hurt — but that’s on me.
Daniels was must-see television in 2024 and, in a new offense, should get back to that form in 2026. No quarterback scrambles more often than Daniels (16.0% last season). The new defensive approach under coordinator Daronte Jones, hired from the Brian Flores tree, should be aggressive and creative. So, we should see more big plays for the defense and the offense. Plus, with head coach Dan Quinn starting the season on the hot seat, the stakes should be high in early-season games.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Podcasts & videos
The District Film Room: Preseason Week 2 Offense
Why the Commanders Defense Is Keeping Us UP AT NIGHT
NFC East links
The Athletic (paywall)
The Cowboys remain Jerry’s world, but Stephen Jones will engineer ‘a different path’
[T]he dynasty’s been dead for decades, and all the Cowboys have been since is a mediocre football team that doubles as the most valuable brand in sports. Sportico reported the franchise is now worth $15.5 billion. The Joneses are fabulously wealthy, the fanbase as restless as ever. The championship drought is 30 years long.
“How the hell does this keep happening?” Stephen grumbles at the table.
His father’s stubborn refusal to hire a typical general manager — Jerry keeps the title to himself — has made Stephen the franchise’s second-most influential voice, and as Jerry has scaled back in recent years, often the most influential. “Trust me, Stephen’s the guy,” Rawlings says.
With that comes a say in everything the organization does, and the blame that comes with years of disappointing playoff exits. “I wear it just like he wears it,” Stephen says of his father. “It’s been too damn long.”
Publicly, he keeps sidestepping questions about the future, about how he’ll run the team when his father is gone. The mere thought can bring Stephen to tears. But Jerry is 83. He already beat back cancer once. More and more it’s Stephen speaking for the franchise, Stephen directing the draft room, Stephen inching into the camera’s view.
“I don’t have a succession plan, I don’t,” Jerry insists, admitting that he’s already started to pass the baton. “One day I just won’t be here to toss my two cents in.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
NFL.com
NFL announces official partnerships with three leading sports betting operators
The National Football League today announced it has reached commercial agreements with three leading sports betting operators ahead of the 2026 season. DraftKings and FanDuel, partners in the category since 2021, each signed a multi-year deal. Fanatics Betting and Gaming also signed a multi-year agreement, expanding a relationship with the NFL that includes collectibles and official league merchandise.
As part of these multi-year deals, all three partners will have the ability to leverage NFL marks within the sports betting category and promote online and retail sports betting. They will also have presence at NFL tentpole events such as the Super Bowl and NFL Draft, unique hospitality and VIP experiences and integrations across NFL-owned digital media properties. Finally, they will have access to real-time, official play-by-play statistics, proprietary Next Gen Stats and BetVision through Genius Sports, the league’s exclusive data distribution partner.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
