The Daily Slop – 26 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!
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Commanders links
Redskins merch returns
Articles
The Athletic (paywall)
The Commanders created a roster hole six months ago; they’re still trying to fill it
The Commanders released center Tyler Biadasz in February, clearly believing they could upgrade the position while trying to fill a number of other key spots across the roster. The move saved the team about $8 million in cash, but the financial benefit became less relevant when Washington pursued Tyler Linderbaum, who ultimately fetched nearly $30 million a year from the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Commanders signed former first-round pick and Pro Bowl tackle D.J. Humphries to a one-year deal on Tuesday, according to a league source who was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the move. Humphries provides depth, particularly on the left side, while swing tackle Andrew Wylie has starter experience on the right side.
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Still lacking: the interior.
But how and when they will figure that out remains unclear. When asked on Monday if the team has the talent to improve at center, Quinn reiterated his confidence in Washington’s trio of Allegretti, Good-Jones and Gulbin.
Allegretti doesn’t have a clear timetable to return, though Quinn did say he will be out for the remainder of the preseason.
Gulbin, who worked at guard a bit last week in practice and in Detroit, will move back to center this week. He and Jones each took reps with the starters in Monday’s workout and the rookie is slated to get more time in Friday’s preseason finale in Baltimore.
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If neither is ready, Washington’s options would be limited to veteran free agents — the pool of players waived when rosters are trimmed on Sunday — or a potential trade.
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The Athletic (paywall)
Which NFL win total projections are too low, too high or just right?
Washington Commanders
Projected wins: 7.6
Verdict: Too high
It’s amazing how one or two people can influence a season. Before losing Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, I would’ve pegged the Commanders as a potential nine- or 10-win team. They bolstered their receiving corps with the addition of Stefon Diggs, invested heavily in their defensive line and changed their systems to create more balance on offense and become more multiple on defense. But this team will go where quarterback Jayden Daniels goes, and Daniels may not be able to go far behind this line. There is no plug-and-play replacement for one of the game’s best pass-blocking tackles. Combined with the injury concerns of center Nick Allegretti, the up-and-down play of left guard Chris Paul and the line’s general lack of depth, Daniels could be running from pressure more than he’s running the Commanders’ new offense. — Nicki Jhabvala
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The Baltimore Banner
The Commanders got a reality check in Detroit. Can they fix their O-line?
This late in training camp, Quinn is scrambling to fill in the holes. He repeatedly said he believes the answer is on the roster. But Washington could make a trade at some point to get a more experienced center. After cuts on Sunday, they could also pick up somebody off waivers.
Washington already started the process by signing DJ Humphries on Tuesday, according to NFL Network. He played eight games for the Rams last year and has 101 career starts over eight seasons.
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But for now, Quinn wants to get a final evaluation against the Ravens. Washington heads to Baltimore for a joint practice on Wednesday and a preseason game on Friday. Gulbin, who was working at guard for most of camp, will play exclusively at center this week to see if anything materializes.
Quinn believes the Ravens, with their more exotic blitz packages, will provide a good evaluation.
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Riggo’s Rag
Dan Quinn is out of excuses, and so are his Commanders players
Of course, when you have to trot out a different lineup every week because you have countless key players on injured reserve, it’s hard to put much blame on the coaching staff for a lack of chemistry. But that’s supposed to be Quinn’s specialty.
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He’s a CEO coach. A locker room guy. A culture guy. A leader of men.
If Quinn wants to keep his job past 2026, and possibly even through to the end of 2026, he’ll need to start converting his rhetoric into tangible progress on the field.
Every team in the NFL deals with injuries; the good ones find a way to overcome them. It’s only preseason right now, but if these issues persist into September and October, Washington will have a problem.
Retaining Quinn after last season’s disaster was unequivocally the right decision, given what he and Washington had accomplished in 2024. You don’t fire people because one year went off the rails. But it’s imperative that the Salisbury University alum learns from his mistakes, and that means no more excuses.
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And his players must step up to the plate.
It’s still a long season for Quinn and the Commanders. But if his squad looks disjointed and unprepared in the fall, he might not see the end of it.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Commanders.com
Commanders view joint practice vs. Ravens as important evaluation opportunity
The Washington Commanders have put their players through challenging evaluations for the past month, but their biggest tests are coming up at the end of this week.
That’s at least how the Commanders have framed the final days before roster cuts are made over the weekend. They will travel to Baltimore for a joint practice with the Ravens before playing against them their preseason finale on Aug. 28. The starters will be the focus of the joint practice, while the game will be a chance for anyone on the roster bubble to make their final case to the coaching staff that they deserve to stick around for the regular season.
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[T]here’s a lot for the Commanders to focus on over the next few days. While they’re not installing any new plays at this point in camp, they still need to strengthen their chemistry and comfort level in the schemes on both sides of the ball. There are several new players on the roster, some of whom are getting more opportunities because of the injuries the team is currently dealing with, so they need get as many snaps working together as possible.
Should the Commanders perform well against the Ravens, it doesn’t mean that they’re guaranteed to have a successful season. However, it could help gauge the roster’s talent level ahead of a season that features the Philadelphia Eagles — the top team in the NFC East for the last two seasons — a talented Dallas Cowboys team and the Seattle Seahawks — last year’s Super Bowl winners. Like what occurred after the practice with the Dolphins, it could build some confidence that Washington could compete against some of the top teams in the conference.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
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Commanders Film Review: QB Athan Kaliakmanis vs Lions
Kaliakmanis has played so well in these first two preseason games that I’m not sure the Commanders can risk cutting him to try and stash him on the practice squad. He showed some strong flashes against the Dolphins in the preseason opener and backed that up with an even more impressive performance against the Lions.
In Detroit, Kaliakmanis completed 11 of 14 passes for 168 yards with zero touchdowns or interceptions and zero sacks taken as well. That last number is significant because as we’ll see shortly, he was under a fair amount of pressure but he navigated it very smoothly. One of the things that impressed me most in the first preseason game was Kaliakmanis’ ability to move calmly within the pocket under pressure. That continued in this game against the Lions.
The ability to recognize the pressure, shorten his drop and get the ball out is impressive and speaks to a quarterback that understands how to handle pressure. He continued to show that understanding. One of the key features we’ve seen from Kaliakmanis so far this preseason is his ability to climb the pocket calmly under pressure.
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[A]s the game progressed, we saw him also start to branch out and hit some explosive plays down the field instead of just the chain moving plays.
Commanders Wire
4 Commanders most in need of a big preseason finish
WR Van Jefferson
It will be interesting to see how the wide receiver spots are handled. Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, and Antonio Williams will be at the top of the depth chart, while the final couple of spots are still open. It seems like Treylon Burks has done enough to stick around, and I can’t imagine the team giving up on Jaylin Lane or Luke McCaffrey.
It also seems like Dyami Brown will stick around as a deep threat. If you’re doing the math, that means there’s not a spot for Van Jefferson. Jefferson isn’t as reliable down the field as Brown is, and he doesn’t have special teams value like Lane. Jefferson has had a solid summer, but it’s hard to find a spot for him here.
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Fox 5 DC
Metro plans for huge crowds at new Washington Commanders stadium
The stadium is still on track to open in 2030, but one of the biggest questions is how Stadium-Armory Metro Station will handle tens of thousands of people arriving and leaving at once.
Metro is expecting as many as 38,000 people could use public transit for a major event at the 65,000-seat stadium.
The problem is that Stadium-Armory Station can currently only handle about 14,000 customers an hour. Metro is proposing a major expansion of the station, including more space at the entrance along with additional stairs, escalators and elevators to move crowds more quickly.
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The plan also includes a new transit center near the stadium and what Metro is calling the Golden Line, a bus rapid transit route that would use dedicated bus lanes to connect the RFK campus with Union Station.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
ESPN – FANTASY FOOTBALL
2026 NFL rookies to pick in later rounds of fantasy football drafts
Antonio Williams, WR, Washington Commanders: Williams is a shifty, quick receiver with very reliable hands and the ability to win after the catch. Much of his usage in college came behind the line of scrimmage or on short passes, but he did show he can win in the intermediate game. I would not expect a lot of downfield usage. The Commanders signing Stefon Diggs put a bit of a wet blanket on Williams, but he is a name to know and could blossom into a waiver wire target down the road.
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Podcasts & videos
The District Film Room: Preseason Week 2 Defense
NFC East links
Big Blue View
Calvin Austin injury: NY Giants WR carted off with right knee injury
The Giants signed Austin after losing slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who topped 1,000 receiving yards last season, in free agency. He had been one of quarterback Jaxson Dart’s favorite targets throughout training camp, and appeared to be a lock to make the roster and play a significant role on offense.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
Discussion topics
ESPN
Study: At least 25% of NFL players in sample had CTE
The study, published Tuesday by the British Medical Journal, focused on how common chronic traumatic encephalopathy might be among NFL players. What it found is that of the 878 players who appeared in at least one NFL game and died in that six-year period, at least 25% had CTE.
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CTE can be diagnosed only after death, so most research has depended on brains donated by players or their families. This study drew on samples donated between 2008 and 2021, 93% of which had been diagnosed with CTE, then narrowed the sample based on when donations were highest and factored in demographic data and information from death certificates.
The estimate of 25% is on the “low end,” said Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, the study’s lead author. The study found that the maximum possible prevalence of CTE was around 97%, but the true rate “is somewhere in the middle,” Daneshvar said.
To read more of this article, CLICK HERE
aBit o’Twitter
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