Friday night’s 20-7 preseason win over Miami gave the Washington Commanders something they hadn’t had yet: actual game tape to sort through in a few roster battles that had mostly lived on the practice field.
For players on the fringe, that mattered. And for a few of them, it mattered a lot.
The clearest stock-up performance came from rookie running back Robert Henry Jr., who went from outside the projected running back group to forcing a fresh look. He ran 12 times for 75 yards, averaged 6.3 yards per carry, scored on a 22-yard touchdown and added a 30-yard kick return. That’s the kind of night that gets attention fast.
Kaytron Allen also made his case. He didn’t need a huge showing to keep his spot in the conversation, but he delivered one anyway: 85 yards on 23 carries, with none of those runs going for negative yardage, plus a touchdown. Whether that volume came from growing trust or from Jerome Ford barely playing beyond pregame warmups, Allen did not give ground in a backfield that got more complicated because of Henry’s breakout.
On the other side of the ball, Malik Spencer took advantage of his opportunity after impressing on the practice field enough to earn more playing time. Once he got on the field, he made it count with an interception. For an undrafted player trying to stick, that kind of play can carry real weight.
Quan Martin also helped himself. He’s trying to build confidence with the new defensive staff after what the source described as a miserable 2025 season, and his interception of Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers at the Miami 35 set Washington up with the short field that led to the Commanders’ first points. That’s the sort of play that can change how a staff talks about a player.
The kicking competition stayed mostly calm, but Drew Stevens still came out of the night in the better spot. Both kickers went 1-for-1 on extra points, and Jake Moody’s lone made kick came with the extra layer of drama fans are starting to recognize: the doink off the upright.
It counted, but it didn’t help him separate. Stevens entered the night as the clear leader and should remain there going into the next week of practices.
The quarterback battle behind Marcus Mariota didn’t tilt Sam Hartman’s way. Once Mariota left with an injury, Hartman got the first crack and didn’t separate from rookie Athan Kaliakmanis.
Hartman finished 8-for-15 for 80 yards with no touchdowns, one interception, a sack and a 41.0 passer rating. His interception came late in the first quarter when Washington had reached Miami’s 30-yard line and his end-zone throw for Dyami Brown was picked off by Dolphins cornerback Marco Wilson with eight seconds left.
Kaliakmanis responded with 6-of-10 passing for 87 yards, no turnovers and an 88.3 passer rating, which left Hartman in a tough spot in a developmental battle he now has no positive ground to stand on.
The other kicker note was simple enough: Jake Moody did not miss, but the sound he made off the upright is becoming part of the conversation. Technically, he’s still alive in the job race. Practically, Friday didn’t do much to change the picture.
In the end, the game didn’t settle the roster, but it did give the Commanders their first live evidence for decisions that had been based almost entirely on practice. And by the time the night ended, one crowded running back room had become even more crowded.
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Commanders Suddenly Face A Quarterback Depth Problem To Watch
Marcus Mariotas preseason night against the Dolphins ended much sooner than Washington wanted, and not just because of the score. After connecting on a 22-yard pass, the veteran backup left the game with an apparent leg injury, forcing the Commanders to reshuffle their quarterback plans on the fly and lean on the other passers available behind center.
It is the kind of moment that can turn a routine August tune-up into a real concern, especially for a team trying to sort out its depth chart and keep a steady hand available if needed. The Commanders did not get an immediate update from Dan Quinn after the game, leaving Mariotas status and the broader quarterback picture hanging over what should have been a straightforward preseason outing. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Get Early Encouragement And One Immediate QB Concern
The Commanders opened the preseason with a 20-7 win over the Dolphins, and there were enough encouraging signs to go around before the night got complicated. Marcus Mariota started at quarterback for Washington, the defense picked off three passes, and running backs Robert Henry Jr. and Kaytron Allen each found the end zone as the team set an early tone on both sides of the ball.
Mariotas night ended early because of a leg injury, though Sam Hartman stepped in and helped guide scoring drives to keep Washington on track. In August, the results matter less than the health of the quarterback room, and that leaves the Commanders with one immediate concern to monitor even after a solid preseason opener. [Read more 🡒]