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Plays in Friday contest
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 11:34 AM
Jean-Baptiste made two tackles (one solo) during Friday night's preseason game against the Dolphins.
Analysis: Jean-Baptiste played 30 defensive snaps for the Commanders. The weakside linebacker was on the field for 55 percent of the team's defensive plays. For the 24-year-old to move up the depth chart before cutdown day, he will likely need to make more splash plays in next Saturday's preseason showdown against the Lions. |
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Antonio Williams Antonio Williams Solid gain on one reception
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 10:56 PM
Williams brought in one of three targets for 16 yards in the Commanders' 20-7 preseason win over the Dolphins on Friday.
Analysis: The rookie third-round pick has been impressing camp and even receiving some limited first-team reps, so his busy and productive night Friday relative to playing time wasn't surprising. Williams outperformed Luke McCaffery (zero catches on two targets), who's directly above him on the Commanders' unofficial depth chart, against the Dolphins, and it remains to be seen if the Clemson product can keep pushing his veteran teammate in Washington's second preseason game on the road against the Lions on Saturday, Aug. 22. |
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Luke McCaffrey Luke McCaffrey Blanked in preseason opener
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 10:46 PM
McCaffrey failed to bring in either of his two targets in the Commanders' 20-7 preseason win over the Dolphins on Friday.
Analysis: McCaffrey played most of the first half but couldn't corral either of the two passes that Sam Hartman directed his way. The 2024 third-round pick, who saw his 2025 campaign cut short by a broken collarbone, is in the midst of a pivotal training camp for his future with the franchise, as there experienced options beneath him such as Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown, Jaylin Lane and Van Jefferson. |
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Kaytron Allen Kaytron Allen Sees heavy workload in win
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 10:21 PM
Allen rushed 23 times for 85 yards and a touchdown and brought in one of two targets for one yard in the Commanders' 20-7 preseason win over the Dolphins on Friday.
Analysis: The rookie sixth-round pick improved his rushing numbers over the prior season in each of his last three years at Penn State, and Allen is now trying to nail down the No. 3 job in a veteran running back room, and going by the amount of playing time he saw Friday, it's clear the coaching staff is intrigued with his potential. Allen's first chance to build on his game-high rushing yardage total comes in a road preseason matchup against the Lions on Saturday, Aug. 22. |
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Marcus Mariota Marcus Mariota Injury update in coming days
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 9:48 PM
Head coach Dan Quinn said after Friday's 20-7 preseason win over the Dolphins that he'll provide an update on Mariota (knee) on Sunday, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Mariota may have picked up a knee injury when he was hit by Tyrel Dodson in the first quarter. Mariota initially stayed in but was favoring his right knee after handing the ball off to Kayton Allen, with the former being tended to by trainers on the ground. Mariota was able to walk off the field on his own, but an extended absence would be a blow considering he appeared in 11 regular-season games (eight starts) last year while Jayden Daniels was sidelined due to injury. Sam Hartman and undrafted rookie Athan Kaliakmanis are the other two quarterbacks on the training camp roster, but if Mariota were to miss time, then the Commanders would likely look to add a veteran QB via free agency or trade. |
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Marcus Mariota Marcus Mariota Exits Friday's game
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 6:36 PM
Mariota left the first quarter of Thursday's preseason game against the Dolphins due to an apparent right knee injury, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Mariota may have picked up the injury when he was hit by Tyrel Dodson right after a pass to Dyami Brown. Mariota initially stayed in but was favoring his right leg after handing the ball off to Kaytron Allen, and the veteran quarterback has gone to the locker room to undergo further tests, per Jhabvala. Sam Hartman has taken over as the Commanders' quarterback following Mariota's departure. |
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Suspended to start season
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 5:51 PM
The NFL suspended Armstrong for the first game of the regular season, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Armstrong will miss Week 1 for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The announcement did not specify the reason for the violation, but it could be related to the linebacker's May arrest on charges of assault and resisting arrest. Armstrong came off the active/PUP list last Friday after finally recovering from the knee injury he suffered during Week 7 of the 2025 season. The 23-year-old participated in all seven games before going down, so it is expected he will be a key piece of the Commanders' 2026 depth once he serves his suspension. |
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Chig Okonkwo Chig Okonkwo Not playing Friday
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 5:18 PM
Okonkwo isn't slated to suit up for Friday's preseason contest against the Dolphins.
Analysis: After spending the first four campaigns of his career with the Titans, Okonkwo signed a three-year, $27 million contract to join the Commanders this offseason. He's averaged a 48.5-504.3-2 line on 68 targets per 17 regular-season games to date, but more consistent QB play while working with Jayden Daniels in Washington makes Okonkwo a candidate to increase those numbers in 2026. |
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Jacory Croskey-Merritt Jacory Croskey-Merritt Won't play Friday
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 5:03 PM
Croskey-Merritt isn't in line to suit up for Friday's preseason game versus the Dolphins.
Analysis: Croskey-Merritt will be joined on the sideline by fellow RBs Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps), leaving 2026 sixth-round pick Kaytron Allen, offseason pickup Jerome Ford and undrafted rookie Robert Henry to man the backfield in the Commanders' exhibition opener. As a seventh-round rookie last season, Croskey-Merritt was a rare bright spot in the offense, turning 175 carries into 805 yards and eight touchdowns and gathering in nine of 13 targets for 68 yards. Considering White has averaged 223.8 touches per 17 games in his four-year career, he poises a legitimate threat to Croskey-Merritt's workload in the upcoming campaign. |
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Stefon Diggs Stefon Diggs Not suiting up Friday
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 4:48 PM
Diggs isn't in line to play in Friday's preseason contest versus the Dolphins.
Analysis: After the Patriots released Diggs in March, he finally found in a landing spot in the early stages of training camp, inking a one-year, $12 million contract to join the Commanders. While he has a week of practice under his belt with his new squad, he'll have to wait until at least Saturday, Aug. 22 at Detroit to get some in-game preseason reps with new QB Jayden Daniels and top WR Terry McLaurin. In 17 regular-season games for New England last season, Diggs put together an 85-1,013-4 line on 102 targets. |
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Terry McLaurin Terry McLaurin Won't suit up Friday
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 4:43 PM
McLaurin isn't slated to play in Friday's preseason contest against the Dolphins.
Analysis: QB Jayden Daniels and new WR Stefon Diggs also won't be in uniform for the Commanders' exhibition opener, meaning the trio will have to wait until at least Saturday, Aug. 22 in Detroit to get in some reps together before Week 1. McLaurin is looking to bounce back from a 2025 campaign in which he was limited to 10 regular-season appearances en route to posting a 38-582-3 line on 60 targets. Swapping out Deebo Samuel for Diggs may aid in McLaurin's cause. |
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Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels Not in line to play in Friday's preseason opener
Fri, Aug 14, 2026, 3:52 PM
Daniels isn't slated to suit up for Friday's preseason game versus the Dolphins, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Other key skill-position players like RBs Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, WRs Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs and TE Chig Okonkwo are in the same boat as Daniels. Because White, Diggs and Okonkwo all are newcomers to the Commanders this season, Daniel likely will see some exhibition action before Week 1, with his next chance to do so Saturday, Aug. 22 in Detroit. |
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Dealing with calf injury
Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 7:19 PM
Settle (calf) did not participate at the Commanders' training camp practice Wednesday, Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C. reports.
Analysis: Settle suffered a calf strain at practice this week, and as a result, his availability for Friday's preseason opener against the Dolphins now appears to be in doubt. If Settle isn't able to play versus Miami, Jer'Zhan Newton and Charles Omenihu are top candidates to see an increase in workload. |
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Jeremy McNichols Jeremy McNichols Nursing quad issue
Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 2:34 PM
McNichols (quadriceps) did not participate at the Commanders' training camp practice Wednesday, Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C. reports.
Analysis: Per Standig, McNichols is day-to-day, so it seems like the injury isn't anything severe. While the veteran is sidelined, Jerome Ford and rookie undrafted free agent Robert Henry could get more looks out of Washington's backfield. |
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Inks deal with Washington
Tue, Aug 11, 2026, 6:35 PM
The Commanders signed Cowart to a contract Tuesday.
Analysis: The Commanders hosted Cowart for a workout Monday, and the team liked what they saw out of the 2019 fifth-rounder, who spent most of last season on the Jets' injured reserve due to an ankle injury. Cowart last saw regular-season action in 2024 with the Bears, when he logged 26 tackles (14 solo), including 2.5 sacks, across 15 games. |
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Not playing Friday
Tue, Aug 11, 2026, 6:31 PM
Amos (ankle) will not play in Friday's preseason opener against the Dolphins, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Amos will also not practice Wednesday due to an ankle injury that he picked up during Monday's training camp session. It's unclear whether his ankle injury is to the same leg to which he suffered a fractured fibula last November, causing him to miss the rest of the 2025 season. Either way, the Commanders are taking the cautious approach, and a return to practice next week would put Amos on track to be available for Washington's second exhibition game on Saturday, Aug. 22 against Detroit. |
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Rachaad White Rachaad White Penciled in as No. 2 RB at camp
Mon, Aug 10, 2026, 7:02 PM
White was listed as the Commanders' No. 2 running back on the team's unofficial depth chart Monday, Zach Selby of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: White joined Washington in the offseason, inking a one-year deal with the team in March. Head coach Dan Quinn named White as a standout performer from OTAs and minicamp, but at this point, second-year pro Jacory Croskey-Merritt appears to have the edge as the No. 1 option in the backfield heading into the 2026 campaign. White was able to turn 132 carries into 572 yards and four touchdowns while also adding 40 catches and 218 yards over 17 regular-season contests with the Buccaneers in 2025, marking the third time in his four-year career that he was active for the entire regular season. |
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Exits with ankle issue
Mon, Aug 10, 2026, 5:12 PM
Amos (ankle) exited Monday's practice early, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Amos was activated from the active/PUP list Friday after finally recovering from the lower-leg injury he went down with in Week 10 of last season. The cornerback's return appears to be short-lived, and the ankle issue may very well be partially due to weakness caused by the prior leg injury. It is unclear how long the second-year player will be out and if he will need to miss regular-season time. |
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Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels Impressing early in training camp
Mon, Aug 10, 2026, 10:19 AM
Daniels, per wide receiver Jaylin Lane, has been "elite" in training camp, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington.
Analysis: The wideout clearly has reason to throw praise at his quarterback, but at the same time it's better than the alternative. The situation has changed for Daniels with Stefon Diggs now in the mix and Laremy Tunsil (triceps) facing an extended absence, but Daniels now has another intriguing target to work with, and since the start of training camp he hasn't had any issues with the elbow injury that cut short his 2025 campaign. |
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Set for surgery, out indefinitely
Mon, Aug 10, 2026, 8:57 AM
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Monday that Tunsil will require surgery to repair a torn right triceps and is expected to miss significant time, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Quinn wasn't willing to put a timeline on Tunsil's return, noting that the Commanders should have a better idea regarding when the five-time Pro Bowler might play again once surgery is completed. However, Keim notes that the typical recovery timeline for such procedures is at least four months and as long as six or seven, so Tunsil is projected to miss most of the season and may not be a realistic candidate to suit up for the Commanders until around early or mid-December. Quinn noted that Brandon Coleman will step in as the Commanders' starting left tackle in what amounts to a massive downgrade at the position after Tunsil re-established himself as one of the NFL's top blindside protectors in his first season in Washington in 2025 while allowing just two sacks over 14 regular-season games. |
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