The Washington Commanders opened the preseason with a 20-7 win over the Miami Dolphins on Friday night at Northwest Stadium, and the night belonged to the roster depth. With most of the starters already getting work in Wednesday’s joint practice, Dan Quinn kept a long list of regulars on the sideline for the opener.
No Jayden Daniels. No Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Chig Okonkwo, Bill Croskey-Merritt, Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Mike Sainristil and several others.
Marcus Mariota started at quarterback but left after only a few plays with an apparent leg injury, which pushed Sam Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis into the spotlight. Washington’s win came through rookie running backs and a defense that set the tone early and kept it there.
Kaliakmanis was one of the night’s biggest bright spots. The stat line didn’t separate him much from Hartman, but the offense looked cleaner with the rookie.
His first two throws were completions, including a sharp strike to Colson Yankoff, and the ball clearly came out with more pop. If Washington ends up keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, Kaliakmanis looks like the one who has already won the job.
Hartman started slowly but settled in and looked better than he did a year ago.
The backfield offered two different kinds of production. Robert Henry Jr., an undrafted rookie from UTSA, showed the speed and slipperiness that had been building buzz since the spring.
He flashed vision, patience and explosiveness on his touchdown run, and he added a strong rep in pass protection. Kaytron Allen brought the power.
He carried 23 times for 85 yards and a touchdown, the kind of steady, physical night that fits the profile of a short-yardage option. There was already talk that he could be Washington’s short-yardage back in 2026, and Friday didn’t change that conversation.
Offensive coordinator David Blough can use him near the goal line or late in games when protecting a lead.
Jaden Bradley also kept forcing his way into the conversation. The undrafted rookie receiver has been drawing attention since OTAs and the start of camp, and he backed it up again against Miami.
He nearly blocked at least two punts, caught two passes and delivered a couple of notable blocks. In a thinner receiver room, that kind of all-around effort would make the 53-man roster conversation simple.
This year is different, and Bradley may be headed for a tough decision, but Washington will want to keep him around on the practice squad. There’s still room for him to grow as a receiver, too.
Up front, Ricky Barber Jr. made another loud case. The 2025 undrafted free agent spent time on the practice squad before getting called up late last season, and he followed up an excellent debut against the Cowboys with another strong showing against Miami.
He finished with five tackles, including one for loss and one sack, and he helped on the fourth-down stop that effectively ended the Dolphins’ night early. Barber looked disruptive against both the run and the pass, and he outplayed Johnny Newton, a 2024 second-round pick, on this night.
Antonio Hamilton Sr. rounded out the list. At 33, he was still making plays in a preseason game where many veterans were already done for the night.
Hamilton has been around the league with seven teams and is entering his 11th season, but his effort still jumps off the screen. He plays hard every snap, on defense and on special teams, and he was around the ball repeatedly against Miami.
If Washington keeps five corners, Hamilton has a real chance at the final spot, especially after Ahkello Witherspoon’s surprising retirement changed the picture.
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Sam Hartmans Commanders Roster Fight Already Looks Much Tougher
Sam Hartman is back in another Washington Commanders offseason, and the path hes trying to carve out at quarterback looks steeper than it did a few weeks ago. Entering his third summer with the organization, Hartman is still trying to turn familiarity into staying power, but the room around him has changed enough to make every rep matter. Washingtons latest addition at the position has only tightened the competition and pushed Hartman into a more precarious place on the roster.
Hartman now sits at the bottom of the quarterback depth chart, which is never a comfortable spot for a player trying to prove he belongs. The Commanders still have time to sort out the position battle, but the early signs suggest Hartmans margin for error is slim and his clearest path may not even be to the active roster. For a player entering his third offseason with the team, the fight is no longer just about beating out another quarterback, its about avoiding being squeezed out entirely. [Read more 🡒]
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For now, Newtons roster spot is safe, but the competition around him has sharpened the stakes. Other linemen are outperforming him, and Washington still wants to see him become a more complete player before it can be sure of his long-term role, leaving his path more precarious than it looked when he arrived. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinn Just Sharpened Washingtons Biggest Camp Battles
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The biggest competition remains at center, where the reps are still being sorted out and every practice matters as the staff evaluates who can handle the job. Quinn also touched on linebacker Sonny Styles development and the teams communication across the board, a reminder that Washingtons training camp is less about finishing answers than building toward them. [Read more 🡒]