The Daily Slop – 30 October 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
Commanders Roundtable
No more excuses: Week 8 is a must-win for the Commanders
The Commanders’ Most Dangerous Opponent Might Be Themselves
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: this matchup has every ingredient for Washington to beat itself. The Eagles’ defense, despite an inconsistent season, has a way of elevating against the Commanders.
Jordan Davis is still a dominant interior presence. Jalen Carter has flashed elite-level disruption at times. And there is a very real pattern — backed up by years of history — where Washington’s interior offensive line can’t sustain the protection Daniels needs; the penalties pile up, and a winnable game slips away. They need to limit the self-inflicted mistakes and drive-killers if they want a chance.
The bye week was supposed to be about more than rest. Dan Quinn had extra time to address the mental errors — the false starts, the miscommunications, the clock mismanagement that cost them a win outright against the Giants. Over the last three weeks before the break, Washington committed 33 penalties, 16 on offense, including seven false starts.
Getting to 2-4-1 with a divisional road win on Sunday night doesn’t fix the season — but it changes the entire conversation.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
Ranking the best 2026 NFL rookies: Arvell Reese, Denzel Boston, others in top 10
We polled five NFL analysts and reporters — Matt Bowen, Kalyn Kahler, Jeff Legwold, Jordan Reid and Ben Solak — to form a consensus ranking through Week 7.
T-1. Sonny Styles, LB, Washington Commanders
Stats: 46 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 FF
Drafted: No. 7
Styles’ speed is what made him a top-10 pick, and he has put it on full display this season. In Washington’s only win, he went stride for stride with Seattle running back Jadarian Price to break up a deep pass. Later in the third quarter, he caught up with tight end Eric Saubert and stripped the ball at the goal line — though Saubert recovered it for a touchdown. (He also had his only interception in that game.)
Styles even made a strong debut, trucking Eagles running back Saquon Barkley on his way to sacking quarterback Jalen Hurts. Styles has 13 tackles in Washington’s past two games, which suggests he’s only improving as his rookie year continues. — Kahler
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Last Man Standig (paywall)
Commanders 2027: Who stays, who goes and what the defense still needs
Get past Sonny Styles and there are more questions than answers with Washington’s defense next season including decisions on pending free agents Daron Payne and Frankie Luvu, and salary-cap
Outlook: The 2026 season might mark the end of the line for Payne in Washington. There’s always the chance a new deal with the 2018 first-round pick gets worked out, but players with options generally aren’t keen on taking a pay cut to stay with the same team. And I don’t see Washington — or any team — matching Payne’s $22.5 million average annual salary.
Though his pass-rushing stats haven’t popped as hoped, Payne remains a mountain of a man against the run. That’s why he’ll draw interest if Washington becomes a seller ahead of the trade deadline. If Payne goes, Washington has a massive hole to fill. Kinlaw has been fine. But fine enough to justify a $16.9 million cap charge? The bigger question is what this group looks like without both Kinlaw and Payne.
Newton’s status as a former second-round pick probably keeps him around for depth. We haven’t seen enough to project tangible upside. He’ll have roughly half a season to show what he’s got after Washington opened his 21-day practice window, approximately 11 weeks following pectoral surgery.
Settle’s $9.7 million cap hit makes him a viable restructure candidate.
For more from Ben Standig, click here
The Athletic (paywall)
The Commanders’ first-year coordinators were both risks. When does the payoff arrive?
The struggles of these Commanders don’t completely fall at the feet of new offensive coordinator David Blough and new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. But with a game against the Philadelphia Eagles that could alter coaching careers coming up Sunday night, both assistants are being examined. All spring and summer, their plans and strategies sounded interesting. In practice?
“We would love for it to be perfect right now,” Blough said Thursday. “We know that’s not the case.”
“Inconsistent,” Jones said.
This was Quinn’s choice and Quinn’s risk. He stripped former defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. of his play-calling duties during the 2025 season and fired him thereafter, eventually hiring veteran defensive assistant Jones away from the Minnesota Vikings to do a job he hadn’t performed at the NFL level. The organization wanted a more collaborative offensive staff that might design a system that could take some of the burden off quarterback Jayden Daniels, so it moved on from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and elevated Blough, who began the 2025 season as the assistant quarterbacks coach and was not even four years removed from his career as a backup quarterback.
If Quinn had hired and empowered first-year coordinators in Year One of his tenure and the team was 1-4-1 and the on-the-job training was difficult but necessary, fine. But he didn’t. He installed them in Year Three, and not only handed them the keys but allowed them to build the cars from the ground up.
What you have, then, is a work in progress on both sides of the ball at a time when the Commanders can’t afford to take baby steps. Through six games, Blough’s offense ranks in the bottom half of the league in both yards per play and points per game. Jones’ defense is ranked 22nd in yards per play and 31st — next-to-last — in points allowed per game. That’s some combination of “meh” and “oh no!” with the season — and therefore the future of Quinn and the entire coaching staff — in the balance.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders Roundtable
Dan Quinn (again) explains the addition of Steve Wilks to the Commanders offensive coaching staff
Though the initial expectation was Wilks will not expected to be with the team on gameday, Grant Paulsen of 106.7 reported that will change on Sunday night with the veteran coach expected on the sidelines. Wilks joined the Commanders as a part-time assistant through the week where he assists with the defensive game planning under defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. Wilks officially began working with the team ahead of the week six primetime loss against the San Francisco 49ers, though it was a move that was in the works.
Head coach Dan Quinn reiterated the idea of bringing Wilks on board was on the table as early as training camp, while reporting pointed to an agreement already in place by the start of the regular season. Quinn also noted Wilks’ chance to be with the coaching staff to gameplan at the start of the week proved to be “the easiest fit as there could be” through the transition.
General manager Adam Peters also previously pointed to his experience working with Wilks dating back to their time in San Francisco when Wilks served as defensive coordinator, adding a layer of familiarity to make the move a reality.
Yet the arrival of Wilks to assist with the defense also led to questions surrounding whether a similar move should have been made for David Blough, another coordinator in the midst of his first season in the role. Yet Quinn pointed to the presence of pass game coordinator David Raih as an integral part of Blough’s support before adding he has been “pleased” with what has transpired through the first six games.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Sports Illustrated
Commanders’ Depth Faces Three Games in 12 Days With Their Season on the Line
At 1-4-1, Washington needs Dan Quinn to settle its defensive rotation and receiving roles before facing the Eagles, Rams and Giants in 12 days
I’d get the rotation going early against Philadelphia. If Newton is activated, give him a defined role up front, and keep Douglas involved as Amos works back in. On offense, I’d give Williams planned opportunities from the opening drive and use this week to get the other receivers comfortable with their assignments. Quinn has options. He and his staff have had the bye to settle those roles and get the groups working together, and at 1-4-1, Washington has little room for another loss Sunday.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Download the SB Nation app Commanders fans, take command of game day!
Follow the action and share every cheer, question and instant reaction with fellow fans on the SB Nation app.
- Chat live during every game
- Browse with fewer ads
- Seamlessly move between communities
- Enjoy faster commenting and posting
Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android.
The Athletic (paywall)
10 thoughts on the Commanders at the trade deadline and more
3. Everyone seems to have an opinion about Daniels, and lately Kurt Warner has had a lot of them. In a video shared on social media, Warner generally praised Daniels’ play against the San Francisco 49ers but claimed the young quarterback is too risk-adverse and seems to make his first-read throw the majority of the time instead of trying to “make the defense pay every single time they make a mistake.”
Warner’s assessment isn’t completely wrong, and Quinn even said as much on Tuesday. Daniels missed some clear opportunities for bigger plays, where receivers were open and had he waited a half-second longer and worked through his progressions or, conversely, stayed on his first read a little longer, he might have had them.
Warner said he wants to see Daniels go for the bigger plays when they are there. Not to force it, but not to settle.
Sure. Fair.
But to take the leap to say Daniels’ failure to hit a few guys who were open is a product of his “mentality” seems like a gross oversimplification.
Daniels doesn’t seem to have an issue with aggressiveness — not now and certainly not over the previous two years. The Commanders changed schemes in part so Daniels doesn’t try to do it all himself.
Daniels doesn’t seem to lack confidence, either.
Both traits are products of a player’s mentality and his general want-to in trying to “make a defense pay.”
What Daniels does lack, however, is time in David Blough’s offense, a dependable offensive line, a consistent run game and, specifically in the examples Warner noted, the comfort with all of those things to be able to use the full field.
4. That the Commanders signed 31-year-old Austin Ekeler after a months-long recovery from an Achilles injury, played him less than a week later and now plan to give him a bigger role says as much about his work ethic and how he’s attacked his recovery as it does about Washington’s rushing corps.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Practice notes | Commanders plan to ‘lean in’ on utilizing Austin Ekeler
Austin Ekeler has not had a gradual reintroduction to the NFL.
The Washington Commanders signed him on Tuesday ahead of their Week 4 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. Five days later, not only did he make the trip to London, but he was also their most effective running back on the field, averaging 7.3 yards per carry.
Ekeler has only carried the ball four times since then, but that might change for the foreseeable future. The Commanders need a new workhorse running back with Jacory Croskey-Merritt on Injured Reserve, and Ekeler’s teammates see the same player who was a potent piece of their offense from 2024.
Ekeler should have more opportunities for explosive plays during the Commanders’ Sunday Night Football matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Their defense has uncharacteristically struggled so far this season, giving up 131 yards per game on the ground. The unit is coming off a game in which they allowed Javontae Williams to run for 155 yards and a score on 25 carries.
Ekeler might not get that kind of workload on Sunday. He has never had more than 19 attempts in an NFL game, and the Commanders have other options in the backfield that they could use against the Eagles. However, the snap counts for every Commanders running back should increase with Croskey-Merritt out for at least the next month, and Ekeler has already shown that he can make the most of his opportunities.
“Now that he’s back, we’ll need to lean in more, and he’s able to handle a bigger workload now,” Quinn said. “It’s the right play.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Riggo’s Rag
8 Commanders on the hot seat entering do-or-die clash against Eagles
Chris Paul – Commanders OL
The Washington Commanders’ offensive line is struggling. This matters more on the left side, which is missing Laremy Tunsil.
Dan Quinn said there would be no personnel changes. There might be some alterations to the scheme and concepts, but making massive in-season tweaks wouldn’t be all that smart.
And at the end of the day, this all comes down to execution. The players have to hold themselves accountable. And for Chris Paul, he could be running out of chances quickly.
If the Commanders were at full strength, there’s a good chance Paul would have been benched by now. Sadly, the backup options are not up to the required standard, so Washington has to hope the Tulsa product can regain the form that saw him become a pleasant surprise last season.
It’s now or never for Paul. He must hold his own against Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis to restore confidence.
Odafe Oweh – Commanders OLB
Washington’s pass rush has come under criticism, and rightfully so. Dan Quinn said he wasn’t satisfied, and Daronte Jones agreed. General manager Adam Peters invested heavily in this area this offseason, so he’s probably not thrilled with how things are unfolding either.
This could be a get-right game for the Commanders. Philadelphia’s offensive line lost Lane Johnson to retirement, and they traded Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens. Only left tackle Jordan Mailata is performing anywhere near his usual standard, which Washington has to exploit to put backup quarterback Tanner McKee under duress.
If there was ever a time for Odafe Oweh to break out in Washington, it’s now.
Fans were expecting more from Oweh after the Commanders signed him to a $96 million contract this offseason. He’s flashed quality, but he needs to be more consistent if he wants to justify this lofty price tag.
The Penn State product has a chance to make a strong statement against the Eagles. Oweh must be among the standouts.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Washington Post (paywall)
The Commanders’ pass rush has been aggressive; now, it needs to be effective
The proof of concept is there. In the second half of the Washington Commanders’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers, their defensive front was dominant.
Washington pressured quarterback Brock Purdy on 50 percent of his dropbacks Oct. 19 in Santa Clara, California — the team’s highest rate in any half this season, according to the analytics platform TruMedia. The Commanders also sacked him twice and gave up just 3.7 yards per carry.
With the defensive line rolling, Washington’s secondary limited Purdy to 35 passing yards — another season-best mark. Overall, the defense held the 49ers to just three second-half points, ended the game by forcing three straight three-and-outs and nearly helped the Commanders spring a massive upset.
That is the type of defense Coach Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator Daronte Jones and the players all thought they were capable of playing going into the season. Led by a ferocious defensive line, they envisioned themselves shutting down opposing offenses on any given week.
Through six games, though, that’s yet to come to fruition through an entire contest. Even against the 49ers, the defense was awful in the first half.
For the majority of the season, the vaunted D-line the Commanders imagined hasn’t materialized. The defense, which has suffered as a result, is allowing 28.7 points per game (31st in the NFL). That’s one of the primary reasons that Washington (1-4-1) is reeling going into its “Sunday Night Football” clash with the Philadelphia Eagles (2-5) at Northwest Stadium.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Podcasts & videos
The District Film Room
Commanders Pass Rush Problems
“The pressure is supposed to be the coverage; if you don’t have pressure, you don’t have coverage”
NFC East links
Blogging the Boys
Cowboys absolutely have to prove they can build a winning streak
Sometimes it feels like there aren’t many “firsts” for me left to write about as something of a seasoned Cowboys writer at this point, but yet here we are. I’m confident I’ve never called a Cowboys game against the Arizona Cardinals a prove-it game, but this really is. The Cowboys have lost four straight to these pesky red birds, going back to 2020. That season, the Cardinals loss was the first of four straight that doomed the season.
The following season, it was a four-game winning streak the Cardinals snapped at JerryWorld in week 17, and even a 51-26 win at Philadelphia to conclude the regular season couldn’t bring back enough momentum for the Cowboys to avoid being one and done to the 49ers in the playoffs. The 2023 team that lost to the Cardinals in week three had plenty of time to recover from the loss, but missed out on a 3-0 start and also didn’t win a playoff game.
Throw last year’s loss in primetime to the Cardinals in the “defense never gave us a chance” bucket, and we really are at a point where the fate of the season might rest on what happens in the early kickoff window this Sunday.
Strange times.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Big Blue View
NY Giants QB Jaxson Dart still eyeing a return for the playoffs
Is that realistic?
Schoen said Dart is “doing the best he can.”
“I know it’s tough for him. He’s coming to the team meetings. He’s back in the quarterback meetings. So he’s around. He’s not weight-bearing yet. So he’s on his crutches. But he’s staying as positive as he can,” Schoen said. “He’s around, which I think is good, mentally being around the guys, being around football still.”
As indicated by our Dart-McCarthy postearlier Thursday, there is already much-too-early speculation about the future at quarterback for the Giants should McCarthy continue to play well.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Upcoming opponent – Eagles
Commanders next game is at home on Sunday Night Football vs the Philadelphia Eagles
Bleeding Green Nation
Jalen Carter’s Interview
Did y’all see this Jalen Carter interview? It really rubbed me the wrong way. For context, after the Eagles’ Monday night loss to Dallas, Carter declined to speak to the media. That is a player’s right if you ask me, but it also doesn’t show any leadership or accountability. Then, he finally faced the music on Wednesday. In the interview, Carter appears to be smirking through his answers. Hey look, I get that players are forced to do PR and interview stuff they they don’t always want to do, and I also get that players are coached on what kinds of questions to expect and how to answer them. That is just part of the NFL experience in my opinion. Yet, I feel Carter’s attitude throughout this entire interview shows little humility, little concern for his own play or preparation, and mountains of “look you all write what you wanna write, I’ma go collect my $152 million now.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bleeding Green Nation
NFL Week 8 Game Picks
Predicting the winners of this week’s football matchups
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Packers’ Christian Watson returns to play after hospital trip for chest injury
Christian Watson didn’t even know which hospital the ambulance took him to, but the Green Bay Packers receiver guessed that from the time he left Lambeau Field to the time he got back was about an hour.
It was actually less.
At a little before 8:30 p.m. local time, Watson was in an ambulance — one that he climbed into on his own and with his full set of pads still on. By 9:19, Watson had already exited the ambulance, run down the tunnel and was back on the sideline.
In between, Watson was coughing up blood, had an X-ray that showed a broken rib and underwent a CT scan plus some blood tests. When the scan and bloodwork showed no additional issues, Watson knew what he had to do.
“Before I even left [the hospital], I wanted to go back out there,” Watson said. “So I was going to make sure I was going to get back out there if they let me.”
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN
Bears acquire All-Pro DT Jeffery Simmons in trade with Titans
The Titans (1-6) are receiving 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, plus a 2027 fourth-round pick, from the Bears (5-2) for Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
Simmons is the first defensive tackle in the common draft era (since 1967) to be traded for multiple first-round draft picks, according to ESPN Research.
Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said Thursday he had no intentions of trading Simmons until receiving a call Wednesday night from Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who he worked with while with the Kansas City Chiefs. The offer was the first one that made Borgonzi consider trading Simmons.
“At no point anytime since I’ve been here did we ever try to trade Jeffrey Simmons,” Borgonzi said. “We’ve gotten a lot of phone calls on Jeff really since I’ve been hired here, but it’s never really crossed my mind. And I got a phone call late last night from a person that I’ve known for a while, Ryan Poles … We considered the compensation, and it was too good to pass up.”
Over eight seasons, Simmons has tallied 46.5 sacks, 72 tackles for loss and 96 quarterback hits.
He was a first-team All-Pro last season, when he posted a career-best 11 sacks.
Simmons was elected Titans team captain for his sixth consecutive season in September. His four sacks, six tackles for loss and four passes defended all lead the team this season through seven games.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
From NFL.com:
CHICAGO RECEIVES:
- DT Jeffery Simmons
- 2028 fifth-round draft pick
GRADE: B
TENNESSEE RECEIVES:
- 2027 first-round draft pick
- 2027 fourth-round draft pick
- 2028 first-round draft pick
GRADE: A
The move could tip the balance of the NFC North and the entire conference in the Bears’ favor. That’s how good Simmons is.
From a pure player-addition standpoint, it’s a home run for Poles. The issue is the compensation.
Two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder is a massive haul. It’s also notable that the fifth-round pick the Bears got back with Simmons is in 2028, not 2027.
Two first-rounders for a non-quarterback is a huge cost. I understand why Poles was willing to do it; with most of his key players on rookie contracts now, it was the time to strike. However, after he pays all those guys, including quarterback Caleb Williams, he’ll need good players on cheap rookie deals to keep things rolling.
Simmons is older than every single player I mentioned above was at the time of their trade. How the DT ages will factor into what this trade looks like three years from now. If there was a parade in downtown Chicago before then, the locals won’t care about the cost of two firsts.
This was a no-brainer for the Titans. Two firsts for a non-QB for a team that isn’t one player away from contending? In a heartbeat.
To read more of this NFL.com article, CLICK HERE
Discussion topics
ESPN
What has gone wrong for running backs from the 2025 draft?
About a year ago, I wrote about the then-rookie class of NFL running backs and how excited I was to see them thriving. During Week 4 of the 2025 season, first-year rookie backs combined to run for 737 yards, the most by any set of rookie rushers during a week of September football since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. It looked like a class that was regarded by prospect mavens as one of the deepest and most compelling groups in recent memory was quickly taking over.
One year later, things aren’t looking quite as rosy. In Week 6 of the 2026 season, the class of 2025 combined for just 246 yards on the ground, its collective worst total in any given week so far. With benchings and injuries plaguing so many standouts, the leading rusher from the 2025 class that week was Corey Kiner, an undrafted free agent who was the third-string option on the Patriots. Things were better in Week 7, but the class has collectively topped 600 yards in a single week just once since that big breakout in Week 4 one year ago.
What has gone wrong? Injuries have plagued many of the class’ most promising backs. Ashton Jeanty, Ollie Gordon II and LeQuint Allen Jr. are the only three 2025 draft picks at running back to be active in every one of their team’s games since entering the league, and Gordon and Allen have been backups for most (or all) of that time. Jeanty has played through several ailments, including an ankle issue that he dealt with this preseason.
I will run through many of the most notable contributors from the 2025 rookie running back class — Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, Bhayshul Tuten, Cam Skattebo and others — and deliver a sort of progress update on where they stand. There are certainly success stories, but they’re coming from surprising places. And while their final NFL story is far from written, it’s fair to start wondering whether we’ll see some of the most promising and highly touted backs from 2025 live up to what we saw from them as rookies, let alone as prospects.
Cam Skattebo
After getting the Giants into position for a winning field goal against the Commanders by converting a second-and-12 on two carries, Skattebo lost a fumble and his coach’s confidence in the process. John Harbaugh essentially dropped Skattebo to fourth on the depth chart the following week, limiting the Arizona State product to six snaps and zero touches in the Week 6 loss to the Saints.
One week later against the Texans, Skattebo was back on top. The Giants cut Najee Harris and restored Skattebo to the starting lineup. He delivered with his best game of the season, turning 17 carries into 124 yards and a touchdown, including the 42-yard run in overtime that helped push the Giants into field goal range. The only blemish on Skattebo’s day was the hamstring injury that caused the back to fall down at the end of that carry, although reports have suggested that the issue was more of a twinge than a pull.
It’s probably not an accident that Skattebo’s best games of the season came in Weeks 1 and 7. Those were the two full games he played with Jaxson Dart and J.J. McCarthy, mobile quarterbacks who can at least threaten opposing defenses with the possibility of running the ball themselves.
Skattebo’s style is always going to look better to fans than it does by the numbers. Attempting to run over or through anybody in your path is undoubtedly fun, but it’s a very tough way to play. Skattebo breaks his fair share of tackles — his 23.6% rate over the past two years is right in line with league average — but he rarely ends up getting himself to situations where he can just avoid tackles altogether.
As a pro, Skattebo has been successful on 39.7% of his rush attempts, below the league-average rate of 40.8% for backs with 150 or more carries over the past two seasons. And 9.0% of Skattebo’s touches turn into explosive plays as a runner or receiver, which is right in line with the 9.1% average all backs have posted on their touches over the past two seasons. That figure rises to 9.7% for starting backs. Skattebo has also averaged 1.3 yards per route run as a receiver, which is almost exactly league average.
All of that would roughly figure Skattebo to be about an average back, but fumbles have absolutely cratered any value he has brought to the table this year. He has fumbled four times on 109 touches, tying him with James Cook III for the most in the league.
The success stories in the rest of the class
While I focused on the most notable players from the class, there are a handful of backs who have exceeded expectations, especially considering where they were selected in the 2025 draft.
That starts with the last running back taken. Jacory Croskey-Merritt of the Commanders was the 25th and final running back off the board, but he’s currently fifth in rushing yards, having racked up 1,044 over his first 22 games. Croskey-Merritt got off to a great start in 2025, posting a 53.3% success rate over his first six games as a pro. But that fell to 35.7% over the remainder of his rookie season. He also fumbled four times, which kept the Commanders from giving the seventh-round pick a larger role in the lineup. Croskey-Merritt hasn’t made a steady impact as a receiver, which likely limits him to an early-down role if he can keep the fumbles down. He is currently on injured reserve because of a groin injury.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
aBit o’Twitter
