The Washington Commanders are heading into the 2026 preseason with a new look on both sidelines and a few familiar names carrying the weight of expectation.
Dan Quinn is entering a crucial Year 3 in Washington, and the staff around him has been reshuffled. David Blough is now running the offense after Kliff Kingsbury’s departure, while Daronte Jones takes over a defense that finished near the bottom of the league in 2025. The Commanders are trying to bounce back after a down season following their surprise NFC Championship run the year before, and the hope is that the coaching changes help clean up the problems that piled up last fall.
On offense, all eyes remain on quarterback Jayden Daniels, with Terry McLaurin and rookie Antonio Williams set up as the main receiving names to follow after the team did not bring Deebo Samuel back. Defensively, first-round rookie linebacker Sonny Styles is the new face to watch, joining veterans Frankie Luvu, Daron Payne and Jer'Zhan Newton.
For fans looking to track the preseason, all three Commanders games will air locally on CBS affiliate WUSA9. The Baltimore matchup will also be shown nationally on NFL Network. Every preseason game can also be streamed live on fubo.
Washington opens with the Dolphins on Friday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. ET, then travels to Detroit to face the Lions on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 12 p.m.
ET. The preseason wraps up Friday, Aug. 28 at Baltimore against the Ravens at 6 p.m.
ET.
Washington Commanders preseason schedule 2026:
Friday, Aug. 14 vs. Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET - WUSA9, fubo
Saturday, Aug. 22 at Lions, 12 p.m. ET - WUSA9, fubo
Friday, Aug. 28 at Ravens, 6 p.m. ET - WUSA9, NFL Network, fubo
The Commanders’ full 2026 regular-season slate is already set as well, beginning Sunday, Sept. 13 at Philadelphia and running through the season finale against Dallas. Among the notable dates are a London game against the Colts on Sunday, Oct. 4, a Sunday night matchup with the Eagles on Nov. 1, and a Monday night home game against the Bengals on Nov.
- The schedule also includes a Week 7 bye.
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Trey Amos Just Raised The Stakes For Washingtons Cornerback Battle
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Head coach Dan Quinn is set to check on Amoss progress soon, with that evaluation expected to help determine how much longer the rookie-style wait might last before he can get back to football work. Amos has sounded confident about his return, but Washingtons approach suggests it is willing to let the recovery timeline play out the right way before adding him back into a competition that already has real stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Could Still Make Jayden Daniels A Lot More Dangerous
A veteran receiver with a proven track record is still sitting on the market, and the Commanders have at least done their homework. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reported Washington has had contact with free agent Stefon Diggs, which keeps the idea alive that the team could add another established target for Jayden Daniels as it looks to make the second-year quarterback even tougher to defend.
Diggs, who turns 33 in November, is reportedly looking for a one-year deal and has made it known he would like to land in Washington. For now, though, the interest appears to be more exploratory than urgent, with no sign of intensified negotiations yet, leaving the Commanders with a potentially enticing option still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]