The Daily Slop – 18 June 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!
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Articles
ESPN
Daniels still has ‘long way to go’ to master Commanders’ offense
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, trying to rebound from a tough injury-filled season, said he likes their new offense — but a lot more work remains.
“I’ve still got a long way to go,” he said.
For Daniels, it’ll be the second system he has had to learn in his first three NFL seasons. Though the coaches have seen growth, Daniels said he still has a lot to learn — he has looked comfortable with his footwork operating from under center but he’s more focused on other aspects.
“I’m done talking about last year,” Daniels said. “Last year is last year; I’m moving on to this season and whatever happened last year, happened last year. It can’t do anything for me; I’ll just continue to get better.”
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Daniels said Washington’s new offense can help by providing more variety, including with different formations and what the Commanders hope is a stronger play-action game.
Commanders Rountable
Daniels is settling into Commanders’ new offense & expects to work with pass catchers again before training camp
“There was new parts of the game that are now him outside the pocket on some spaces,” Quinn said of Daniels. “That’s the – I wouldn’t say it’s growth, but maybe some things that we haven’t featured with him as much that we will now.”
That space could come courtesy of either designed runs or bootlegs that won’t only stretch the field, but give Daniels a chance to tap into the mobility that made him the dynamic quarterback as a rookie.
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For Daniels, the chance to build chemistry with the rest of the room remains prevalent over the next two months as Daniels noted he and the receivers will “get a little trip” possibly back in California as they did earlier this offseason. Could any non-Commanders, like Brandon Aiyuk, also join him?
“We’ll see. You guys will probably see on social media or something.”
CLICK HERE to see Mike Garafolo video on Brandon Aiyuk status
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ESPN
2026 NFL minicamp live updates
Tunsil attended the first day of the voluntary OTA session but did not participate in any full-team work. He typically does not attend but wanted to in order to receive the playbook.
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It’s also a chance for him to reconnect with right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. Tunsil became a mentor to him last season, helping Conerly through a tough early part of the season. They worked out together at Auburn University and will do so again after minicamp. Tunsil said Conerly’s potential “is very high.”
The two walk to the practice field together, talking often. They also work together before practice. At Auburn, Tunsil said Conerly had a chance to see how he worked and also how he ate: protein for breakfast and lunch; no carbs for dinner.
“He’s listening. He comes to me every day, ‘What advice you got for me today?’” Tunsil said. “He’s going to be a dawg,” Tunsil said. “I see myself… I see someone who wants it, he wants to be great.”
A to Z Sports
The Commanders defense enters a new era under Daronte Jones
[W]e all know learning a new system always involves ups and downs and it’s never guaranteed things automatically click.
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That might not be the case for Jones and the Commanders in Year 1, however, thanks to the levers being pulled behind the scenes.
Daronte Jones’ defense is quite an interesting one from a 10,000 foot view. Once the ball is snapped, they aren’t doing anything revolutionary from a coverage perspective. It’s your standard Cover-3, Tampa 2, etc.
Where the uniqueness comes into play is with the pre-snap looks. The Minnesota Vikings are so good on defense because they will show you 3-6 different coverage looks before you snap the ball, and it makes communication paramount for the success of the unit. It’s also why Flores included many players in the construction of his defense, because ownership breeds more success. Think of it like this: you hired a Michelin star chef to cook at an Applebee’s.
There are commonalities at play, here. Jones and the Commanders defenders, like Flores, have been collaborating when it comes to constructing the defense.
The Athletic (paywall)
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At Commanders minicamp, the promising signs on defense can be seen — and heard
Washington’s new defensive coordinator was hired in part because of his ability to communicate and to teach, skills that were on display throughout organized team activities and continued to draw praise from players and fellow coaches during the start of mandatory minicamp Tuesday.
“You don’t have to do a whole lot of crazy thinking,” Styles said. “We’re a multiple defense, but it doesn’t feel crazy to us. The way he’s teaching information, it’s easy to digest.”
Added veteran safety Jeremy Reaves: “(He’s) one of, if not the, most intelligent coaches I’ve had. He’s teaching the big picture to everyone so they understand.”
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The Commanders didn’t do much to placate any concerns about their pass catchers Tuesday. Quinn spread the team out across two fields for 11-on-11 drills to give the players who received fewer reps more time. But the results on both fields were … not great. Drop after drop after drop from the receivers and tight ends — all while Brandon Aiyuk continued to post subliminal messages on social media amid his feud with the 49ers.
Four players who are continuing their recovery from injuries remain sidelined: Defensive ends Deatrich Wise Jr. and Dorance Armstrong, defensive tackle Tim Settle and cornerback Trey Amos.
Commanders Rountable
Commanders LB Sonny Styles “In Control” Wearing Green Dot
Quinn admitted the communication between Washington’s linebackers and safeties is one storyline he’s tracking through the week after being vocal about the defense’s emphasis on being loud through OTAs. But so far, the team’s former first round pick has “hit all the marks that you can hit at this time of year.”
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For Styles, picking up on the tempo of NFL practice has been one area of growth through offseason workouts, though he’s confident in his ability to pick up the new scheme and terminology with an emphasis on film review throughout.
“Coach [Daronte] Jones does a great job of teaching the defense and it’s super easy to understand” Styles said.
Yet, like Quinn noted, the former first round pick has also shown the ability to flip a switch to play with the aggressive, instinctive streak that made him a coveted defensive prospect as a Buckeye.
From Commanders.com:
If Styles is experiencing any difficulty, he isn’t showing it on the field.
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“He has absolutely nailed all the markers up to now,” Quinn said, “and we’ll kind of continue that as we get into training camp, but he’s off to a hell of a start.”
Styles isn’t in a hurry, though.
“I just have fun with the game,” Styles said. “Talk a little crap, have fun, laugh, smile, but I’m still super focused, super locked in.”
Commanders Wire
2026 season is a big one for Quan Martin
2025 happened. There was a hamstring injury, then, you guessed it, another shoulder injury. He managed to play through all 17 games, but clearly struggled at times, too often missing tackles. Many noticed it, and Martin was criticized for it. Now, we have to wonder, “How much of that was trying to play, attempting to make tackles on a sore, injured shoulder?”
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But it wasn’t just his shoulder in 2025. There were times Martin was clearly beaten in coverage. Was it the hamstring slowing him down? Possibly, but of course, there is just no way we are going to know how injured or how limited players really are.
The Commanders’ safety room is crowded with nine currently on the 90-man roster. Is this the year Tyler Owens breaks through to play other than special teams? Jeremy Reaves was also extended, Percy Butler returns, and Nick Cross comes from the Colts via free agency. Martin knows there is competition this year in the preseason for roster spots at safety.
Commanders.com
Minicamp notebook | Jayden Daniels is putting last year in the past and focusing on 2026
— Daniels has a new quarterbacks coach in D.J. Williams, and he’s liked building a relationship with the former Grambling signal-caller. Williams, the son of Washington Legend Doug Williams, has been pushing Daniels in every practice to get the most out of his skill set. They’ve also spent some time off the field talking about life and other non-football-related topics.
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— Daniels has also been developing a strong relationship with new tight end Chig Okonkwo. Daniels likes to get his tight ends involved in the passing game, as he showed over the last two seasons with Zach Ertz, and based on how their offseason has gone, it looks like Daniels has a new favorite target.
“Chig’s been fun, man. His personality shows a lot. It’s pretty awesome. He’s a very good locker room guy, and then out there on the field, you can see him with his speed and getting the ball in space. He can make a lot happen.”
Commanders Rountable
Rachaad White arrives in DC with a clear role in the offense, but he’s also stepping up as a veteran
Despite being the new guy in Washington, White takes on a new role as a leader of a running back room with young talent needing some guidance.
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“They look up to me in the aspect of asking me questions and things like that, so I try to be there to help them,” White said.
“They look at me as a veteran. I still don’t see it yet, and I don’t want to look at it like that yet, but I’m glad they respect me and they can ask me anything and I give them the game.”
Last Man Standig (paywall)
The Commanders like what they’re seeing
Asked about his plans between now and training camp, Daniels delivered a two-word answer.
“Get better.”
Quinn and others have emphasized that these practices are not designed for the trenches and run game because of the lack of pads and contact. We’ll have to wait a week or so into training camp before the big fellas begin slamming into one another.
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Here’s a bit more from Chenal, who today confirmed his last name is pronounced like the posh fashion brand (that’s “Chanel” or “shu-nell” for all you meat-and-potato types).
For more from Ben Standig, click here
Scenes from minicamp Day 2
Podcasts & videos
TO THE MOON!!! with TE Chig Okonkwo & LB Odafe Oweh | Podcast | Washington Commanders | NFL
HUGE UPDATE: Jayden Daniels, Sonny Styles TAKE OVER Commanders Minicamp! Chig Okonkwo DOMINANT!
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
How many games on the Eagles’ schedule do they have a quarterback advantage in?
In 2025, Hurts was ranked 20th in the NFL in quarterback rating (98.5), a drop from his career-best 103.7 in 2024. He threw for a career-low 7.1 yards per pass, and his 64.8% completion percentage was the second-lowest of his career as a full-time starter beginning in 2021. What cannot not be lost is that Hurts also threw for a career-best 25 touchdowns in 2025, with a learning-on-the-job offensive coordinator and patchwork, ailing offensive line.
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This year, we have Hurts as the better quarterback in a comfortable majority of Eagles’ 17 games.
Though the Dallas Cowboys are coming off a disappointing and dismal 7-9-1 finish in 2025, Dak Prescott remains the best quarterback in the NFC East, and only one of two, along with Stafford and we are going to put Caleb Williams here, too, who will be better than Hurts this season on paper and their resumes.
The rest of the Eagles’ schedule is filled with a few quarterbacks still searching for an identity like Washington’s Jayden Daniels, Carolina’s Bryce Young, Tennessee’s Cam Ward, the New York Giants’ Jaxson Dart, someone who really bears watching, and Houston’s C.J. Stroud. Then you have your retreads, like Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett and the Indianapolis Colts’ Daniel Jones, and some that are still looking to fulfill expectations, like Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, and some that have gone beyond expectations like Seattle’s Sam Darnold and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy.
Jayden Daniels
Summary: Daniels was supposed to be the bane for Eagles fans in years to come after the 2024 season. That conjecture came crashing down last season under a barrage of injuries that limited Daniels seven games last year. He was slowed by elbow problems, knee problems, hamstring problems, and went from a quarterback rating of 67.7 in his 2024 rookie season to 44.7 his sophomore season in the NFL. In 2024, he threw for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and ran for 891 yards. The Commanders have to wonder where Daniels is as far as progression. They may find out this season. For now, there is no question who the better quarterback will be in these two games.
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Winner: Hurts.
Big Blue View
What is the worst decision the NY Giants made this offseason?
Chris Pflum – Not investing more heavily in wide receiver
It feels a bit odd to suggest that a team that added six wide receivers and a hybrid tight end haven’t invested heavily enough in pass catchers.
However, supporting Jaxson Dart has to be the Giants’ first priority and I can’t shake concerns that the Giants’ passing attack could be the team’s Achilles [heel].
Nick Falato – Losing Dexter Lawrence
Now, let me make this clear… the Giants got a quality return on investment for Dexter Lawrence. The tenth overall pick for a player whose relationship soured dramatically here in New York is a win, in my opinion. Still, Dexter Lawrence is arguably the best interior pass rusher in the NFL, and he’s a dominant run defender who was at his lowest value. Replacing a player like Lawrence will be very difficult, and the Giants did a solid job bringing in enough veteran talent to put together an adequate rotation, but the loss of Lawrence fundamentally changes what Dennard Wilson is able to do defensively.
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David Hartman – Hiring Matt Nagy as OC
I’ll stick with the coaching tree and go with the decision to bring in Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator. I trust Harbaugh, but this one left me scratching my head. What did Nagy do in Kansas City to recommend him? The Chiefs’ offense got worse every year he was there. I get that they had injuries and personnel issues, but so does every team. He had Patrick Mahomes, and the offense went through long stretches of being very predictable and ordinary. I’m hoping for better results with Jaxson Dart and the rest of the offense, but I didn’t like this move.
NFL.com
Giants’ Cam Skattebo won’t alter approach after injury: I’m going to get back to ‘running people over’
“It ain’t gonna change who I am,” he said Wednesday on The Insiders when asked if he would alter his running style at all. “I had an injury, you know, it is what it is. I’ve still got plenty of football left, plenty of life left, I’m not going to let this little ankle thing bother me. I’m going to get back [to] running people over like you see on the videos. It’s going to be normal Cam Skattebo from here on out.”
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Did Broncos start NFL salary cap trend by cutting Russell Wilson?
The team’s financial house is back in order, with the then-record $85 million in dead money from quarterback Russell Wilson’s 2024 release now completely off the books.
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Denver 1781787699 has the NFL’s second-lowest dead money charges (salary cap hits for players no longer on the roster) at about $3.4 million, with $2.16 million coming from the offseason release of linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Only the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks have less.
THE BRONCOS RELEASED Wilson as the 2024 combine ended, the same event in which Oregon quarterback Bo Nix had shown Denver’s decision-makers that he had the composure and mental approach to step into Wilson’s void.
And that void was considerable from a financial standpoint. His release cost Denver $53 million against the 2024 salary cap (a whopping 20.75% of their cap) and $32 million in 2025. The transaction left the league’s richest ownership group with one of the smallest budgets compared to the rest of the league.
Not only did the Broncos release Wilson, but they also accumulated dead money by cutting edge rusher Randy Gregory ($7.13 million), wide receiver Tim Patrick ($6.14 million) and safety Justin Simmons ($3.75 million). All told, the Broncos suffered a league-leading $89.1 million in dead money charges against a $255.4 million salary cap, with 13 players costing more than $1 million in dead cap.
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Even with the difficulty of those decisions, the Broncos said there was universal agreement from the decision-makers — including owner/CEO Greg Penner — on what needed to be done.
The previous historic amount of dead money — once unthinkable to many in the league who make those kinds of decisions — didn’t set Denver back on the field. In fact, the Broncos thrived, going 24-10 in the two seasons that they dealt with the financial constraints of Wilson’s release. They broke an eight-year playoff drought, made two postseason trips and advanced to the AFC Championship Game in January. And in doing so, they might have given the NFL a template on how to separate from high-priced personnel mistakes without suffering years of losing football.
For instance, Denver’s success post-Wilson might have helped prompt the Miami Dolphins‘ housecleaning this offseason. In a much more extreme makeover, Miami has taken on a new-record $179 million worth of dead cap charges, mostly notably $99.2 million from the release of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ($55.4 million of which is going against this year’s cap). But in an informal survey among 11 coaches and personnel executives around the league by ESPN in recent weeks, many respondents believed Miami’s offseason strategy was a progression from what the Broncos did two years ago.
“Teams have had dead money issues, cut guys so they could draft or do free agency, and people have had to cut guys on big contracts,” an NFC general manager said. “But I do think [the Broncos] got everybody to kind of think you could rip the tape off if you really had to and you could work through it and it didn’t always have to be this long road back.”
Discussion topics
Too Deep Zone
Are NFL coordinators making players think too much?
Have NFL offenses gotten too complicated for their own good? In 2024 Jayden Daniels was fantastic running what was derisively called ‘a college offense.’ Would most quarterbacks, especially young ones, be better served with a less complex offensive system? Or was Daniels’ rookie year an anomaly and defenses would lay waste to simplicity? Thank you. – Brutus Rugburn
We shouldn’t limit the question to offense. Defensive coverage schemes have become elaborate Boolean logic strings. If the offense shifts, THEN this. But IF they shift again, THEN this. If the outside receiver releases inside AND the tight end runs the seam BUT the running back stays in to block, THEN this. The hyper-complexity sounds like the work of a committee of 50-year old men, sitting for hours in a quiet office, watching and re-watching bird’s-eye footage, dreaming up new problems for sweaty 23-year olds to try to solve in a fraction of a second.
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I think there’s a lot of wisdom in letting young athletes be athletes instead of real-time strategy gamers in helmets. I don’t trust the NFL coaching fraternity to have struck the right balance between tactical complexity and just letting the lads try to outrun/outmuscle each other, because NFL coaches are a bunch of sleep-deprived gym teachers who think they are geniuses.
Look at it this way: the NFL’s biggest innovation last year, by the league’s resident genius coach, was “let’s put some extra big guys on the line of scrimmage and run the ball a lot.” The league’s defenses reacted like they were watching a wizard ride a dragon.
There’s more to the Rams’ three-tight end package than caveman tactics, of course. But it does feel like the NFL’s master strategists stayed up every night for months to design subtle, intricate plans which fell apart the moment the defense was hit in the head with a club.
aBit o’Twitter
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