The Washington Commanders are headed into preseason Week 2 with more clarity than they had a couple weeks ago, but not nearly enough to settle the biggest roster battles. Injuries have already pushed some of the most important decisions into a holding pattern, and Saturday’s game against the Detroit Lions offers another chance to sort out the mess.
At center, the situation has gone from cloudy to downright unsettled. Nick Allegretti was expected to start, but he missed most of camp, leaving Julian Good-Jones to handle the bulk of the work while rookie Matt Gulbin keeps pressing for a role.
Good-Jones, though, did not help himself much in the preseason opener against Miami. That doesn’t mean the staff has turned on him, but it does suggest Washington still isn’t comfortable locking him in.
Allegretti returned to practice this week, only for Quinn to say he had “a light setback,” which only slows the process of getting him and Jayden Daniels on the same page. Quinn said, “Both guys are really starting to make a move,” and added, “So, over the next two weeks, or maybe two and a half weeks, we’ll call it, I’d like to see what that rotation looks like with the three of these guys.”
The real issue is whether Gulbin or Good-Jones can create actual separation while Allegretti’s availability stays shaky.
The left side of the offensive line is also in flux, and not just because Washington has already lost Laremy Tunsil from the picture. The team can’t replace what he brought, especially as a leader and teammate.
Allegretti’s absence only makes the shuffle more difficult. Moving Brandon Coleman to left tackle made sense, but if he was close to winning the left guard job, that entire side of the line now looks different from where it began.
Washington brought in Daniel Brunskill, Nicholas Petit-Frere, and Max Scharping, but Quinn said those additions were meant to raise the competition level at the bottom of the depth chart, not serve as a Tunsil fix. “We actually wanted to see if we could raise up the competition level in that back group, to see who could go,” he said.
“It was not injury-related. It was more like, ‘let’s battle this thing out and see where we can go.’”
The bigger question now is who emerges as the leader on the offensive line in 2026.
Running back has become one of the most interesting battles on the roster, and Robert Henry Jr. turned up the heat in the opener. The rookie ran 12 times for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Allen logged 23 carries for 85 yards and a score against Miami.
Quinn came away impressed, saying, “As far as Robert goes, he and Kaytron both, I thought, had a nice night,” and also noting, “Also, Jerome Ford went out. We had three backs for the game, and so when Jerome was out, there was really no flinch from these guys playing on teams, returning, and so that was a good sign.”
With Jeremy McNichols unavailable this week and Rachaad White also out, the healthy backs have another opening to make a move.
Washington also took a hit on the defensive front when Johnny Newton got bad news about his injured pectoral muscle. He’ll be out for a significant stretch, and that strips a key piece from a rotation that already includes Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, Charles Omenihu, Tim Settle when healthy, Byron Cowart, Maurice Hurst II, and others.
Adam Peters built that room with depth, but nobody on the roster offers the same interior disruption Newton was expected to bring. Omenihu could help because of his ability to move around the defensive front, and Washington has stocked the unit so new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones can use multiple fronts.
Now, though, the defense may have to settle on a primary option. Newton had five sacks and 27 pressures last season, and while replacing his snaps matters, replacing the pressure he created matters more.
The backup quarterback race suddenly has more weight, too. Marcus Mariota’s MCL sprain opens the door for rookie Athan Kaliakmanis and Sam Hartman, who has been with the team since signing as a UDFA in 2024.
If Mariota can’t go in Week 1, whoever wins this battle would be next in line behind Jayden Daniels. Right now, Kaliakmanis appears to have the edge because Hartman still hasn’t shown enough improvement to close the gap.
As the source put it, the rookie has the better shot to stay composed and beat out a quarterback who is effectively playing for his football life.
Washington does not need every answer on Saturday, but it does need movement. The opponent matters less than the evidence: center, the rebuilt offensive line, the running back rotation, Newton’s replacement plan, and the backup quarterback job all still need more information before roster cuts arrive.
In Other News...
Commanders Could Face A Costly Joey Porter Jr. Decision
The cornerback market is starting to feel a little more interesting, and Washington is right in the middle of it. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, multiple teams are keeping an eye on whether the Steelers might be open to moving Joey Porter Jr., a Pro Bowl-caliber defender who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Pittsburghs cap situation has made the possibility at least worth monitoring, and any conversation would almost certainly begin with the kind of compensation that usually comes with a premium young corner.
For the Commanders, the appeal is obvious. Cornerback remains a need, and injuries have only sharpened the urgency of finding more reliable help on the back end. Porter would fit the profile of a player worth pursuing, but he would also come with a price tag that could force Washington to weigh immediate help against the cost of paying to get it. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels May Finally Have The Support Washington Needed
The Commanders spent the offseason reshaping the help around Jayden Daniels, and the changes start with the staff. Kliff Kingsbury is out as offensive coordinator, replaced by David Blough, who was promoted from assistant quarterbacks coach, and the move is being framed as a chance to better tailor the offense to Daniels strengths. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Blough is expected to help Daniels maximize his abilities, particularly by leaning into the quarterbacks football IQ and his command at the line.
Washington has also tried to fortify the supporting cast, with free-agent receiver Stefon Diggs stepping into a leadership role alongside Terry McLaurin. Even with those additions, the bigger question still hangs over the offense: whether Daniels can stay healthy and whether the unit can hold up after losing starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Those are the kinds of variables that can decide whether all this support actually turns into progress. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Have 3 Roster Races Fans Need To Watch Vs Lions
After a win over the Dolphins, the Commanders are turning their attention to their next preseason test against the Lions, and the roster picture is still taking shape. Dan Quinn said several starters are expected to play, though the exact plan has not been set, which should give this game a little more weight than a typical August tune-up for a team still sorting through the back end of the roster.
The most interesting eyes will be on the cornerback group without Trey Amos, the safety spot next to Nick Cross, and the race for the third wide receiver role behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. Those jobs may not decide the season, but in a camp where every rep counts, this is the kind of game that can separate a candidate from the crowd and start to clarify who is really trending toward a spot. [Read more 🡒]