There was a real possibility this summer that Washington would carry just two quarterbacks on its 53-man roster and use the extra spot somewhere else. Athan Kaliakmanis changed that conversation fast.
The rookie out of Rutgers handled all three preseason games with calm and confidence, and he did it without playing scared. He kept pushing the ball downfield, trusted his arm, and never put it in harm’s way.
For a seventh-round pick, that kind of poise matters. It got him onto the main roster and into the No. 3 quarterback job behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.
Now the Commanders are talking about him like a player they genuinely want to keep developing.
“We really just loved his arm talent, his moxie, his competitiveness,” Adam Peters said. "That’s what we saw on tape.
And those are a lot of things that you saw on the preseason tape and just the way he could extend plays and made some plays under pressure. Also, standing in the pocket and making big-time throws.
He made a lot of really big-time throws in the preseason, and that was something that we were really pleased to see. And he’s not afraid to rip it, you know?
And a lot of times you see that in the preseason, where guys get in the game and go straight to their checkdown because that’s more comfortable and you can get an easy completion. But he wasn’t afraid to make mistakes.
He wasn’t afraid to rip it. And certainly, it wasn’t all perfect.
There’s a lot of different things that he’s got a lot of room to grow in a lot of different ways, but really liked his progress, and he’s a guy we definitely wanna work with in the future.”
That praise came as Peters and Dan Quinn met with the media this week to discuss the roster and the season ahead.
Mariota’s future in Washington also hangs over the position. The Commanders like him, Daniels likes having him around, and Mariota likes being there too. But Daniels is on track to get more expensive, which makes a quarterback on a rookie contract a valuable thing to have in the building.
There’s another layer here as well: new offensive coordinator David Blough is bringing a different system than the one Kliff Kingsbury ran the last two seasons. Mariota fit Kingsbury’s offense well. Kaliakmanis, at least on paper, looks like a cleaner match for what Blough wants to do.
In Other News...
Commanders Quietly Added A Tackle Who Could Solve A Real Depth Concern
The Commanders roster cleanup after cutdown day included a little bit of housekeeping and a little bit of insurance, with Washington bringing back 12 players it had previously waived or released while also adding five outside players to the 53-man roster and practice squad mix. Among the new faces was veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom, but the more intriguing addition for Washingtons depth chart may be offensive tackle Esa Pole, a name with a recent NFL trail and a clear path to matter if the line gets tested.
Pole arrived with a bit of experience already in his pocket, having spent time with the Chiefs and Jets before making his NFL debut last season. He got four starts at left tackle before being waived, and Washingtons decision to bring him in now points to how much the team values having another viable option at a spot where depth can disappear quickly. The Commanders are still sorting out the final shape of that room, and Pole gives them a player whose role could grow faster than most practice squad additions. [Read more 🡒]
Former Commanders Contributor Is Latest Reminder Of Washingtons Cornerback Turnover
Noah Igbinoghenes path is a useful snapshot of how much the Commanders have churned through their cornerback room in recent seasons. He appeared in 32 games over two years in Washington before reaching free agency, and since then his route has taken him from a one-year deal with the Seahawks in March 2025 to a release during final cuts and then another one-year contract, this time with Cleveland.
For Washington, the bigger story is the revolving door behind him. The team has continued to make defensive backfield signings and practice squad additions this offseason, another sign that the cornerback spot remains a moving target as the Commanders try to settle on a long-term mix. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Aiyuk Keeps Sending A Message Washington No Longer Needs
Brandon Aiyuk keeps putting Washington gear in front of his followers, a steady stream of social posts that has made it clear where his eyes have been aimed. The receiver remains under contract with the San Francisco 49ers, but the message from his corner has been hard to miss for a Commanders fan base that watched the offseason at receiver unfold with plenty of curiosity.
Washington, though, appears to have moved on long ago. The team never showed much interest in making Aiyuk a target, with the general manager making it clear Stefon Diggs had been the preferred veteran option from the start. Aiyuk has not applied for reinstatement, and with his NFL future still uncertain, the social media hints are starting to feel more like background noise than a path back to D.C. [Read more 🡒]