With one more joint practice and preseason game left against the Baltimore Ravens, the Washington Commanders are almost through the exhibition grind. Week 2 in Detroit gave fans just enough to chew on: a brief look at Jayden Daniels, plenty of reps for the backups, and a few roster long shots making their case in a hurry.
The biggest buzz belongs to the bottom of the depth chart, which is exactly what this annual exercise is built for. The Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype!
Awards, a tongue-in-cheek nod to players who get pushed into the spotlight before they’ve really done it in the regular season, once again have a fresh crop of nominees. The award traces back to Colt Brennan, the former Washington Redskins sixth-round pick who became a cult favorite after starring at Hawaii and flashing that same excitement in Washington before injuries and other issues cut his NFL run short.
Brennan died five years ago at the age of 37, and the awards remain a tribute to that kind of preseason electricity.
This year’s group starts with Jaden Bradley, a UDFA wideout from 2026 who was already drawing attention in camp from coaches, reporters, and fans. He backed that up with a solid first game, then turned heads on a one-handed grab with his other arm locked up for a DPI penalty. If Baldy is calling it the catch of the week, that’s the kind of moment that sends preseason hype into overdrive.
Nick Nash showed up on the radar for a different reason: people were asking who he was and where he came from. Athan Kaliakmanis answered that quickly, uncorking a 55-yard bomb down the sideline to Nash. Nash added another catch for 7 yards on that same drive, but the long ball is what put him on the list.
The backfield spotlight went to sixth-round pick Kaytron “Fatman” Allen. Last week, it looked like Allen and Robert Henry Jr. were fighting for the same roster spot.
This time, Allen separated himself. Washington didn’t run much against Detroit, but he was the lead back and the only one who consistently found any room against the Lions’ defense.
Quarterback-wise, the picture is getting clearer. Jayden Daniels was only out there for a three-play series, and Marcus Mariota is done for the rest of the preseason with an MCL sprain.
That leaves Athan Kaliakmanis and Sam Hartman splitting series against Detroit, and Kaliakmanis again looked like the stronger arm of the two. His biggest throw of the day went to Nick Nash for that 55-yard gain.
Up front and on the defensive side, there were a pair of names making noise at the fringes of the roster. T.J.
Maguranyanga, the former rugby player now in his second season with Washington through the International Pathway Players program, recorded a sack against Detroit and has been active throughout camp. With injuries opening more chances, he’s trying to make the most of every rep.
Jeffrey M’ba is in a similar lane. The undrafted defensive lineman, who is also eligible for the IPP program, was signed after the draft this year and has been showing up in preseason action. The interior defensive line has some questions after Johnny Newton’s pec tear, and M’ba is one of the players trying to force his way into the conversation.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have Trade Candidates As Final Cuts Close In
Adam Peters is coming up on one of the busiest stretches of the preseason, with the Commanders needing to trim their roster from 90 players to 53 by the deadline. As Washington sorts through a few crowded position groups, the front office has some tougher calls than usual, and a handful of players who may not fit the final picture are suddenly part of the conversation.
Treylon Burks and Jordan Magee are among the names worth watching as the Commanders weigh whether to keep depth, deal from it or simply move on. In a league where every roster spot matters, Washington appears open to finding value wherever it can before the final cuts hit, which makes these next few days more than just a formality. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Safety Decision Already Looks Worse Than Fans Feared
A preseason miscue was enough to push Will Harris to the edge, and the Commanders ended up cutting ties with the veteran safety after a performance that had already been raising concerns behind the scenes. Washington still has other options in the secondary it believes are better fits, so the move also gives the front office some salary-cap relief while it reshapes the back end of the defense.
Harris had one year left on his contract, which is what makes the decision feel like more than a routine roster churn move. The bigger question now is whether his time in Washington is simply over or whether he can land somewhere else and prove the Commanders moved on faster than they needed to, especially with the starting job conversation already looking shaky before the release. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Is Taking Washingtons Offense Into A Dangerous New Phase
The Commanders have spent this preseason pushing their offense into a more demanding and less predictable shape, with Jayden Daniels taking on more control at the line and more responsibility for steering the operation before the snap. The idea is to get beyond a tightly scripted approach and let the quarterback use his football IQ and passing ability to create answers in real time, while the rest of the skill group stays sharp enough to keep pace with what the defense is showing.
It is the kind of shift that can make an offense harder to defend, but only if everyone around Daniels is ready for the same level of detail. Washington is still working through issues up front, and the addition of Stefon Diggs gives the unit another piece to deploy as it tries to become more versatile and more dangerous. For now, the bigger question is how quickly all those moving parts can mesh once the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]