Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and his family are disappointed and feel disrespected.
That’s the line being thrown around, even though Daniels has been praised plenty by Commanders fans and most NFL analysts. Still, the latest preseason power rankings gave the conversation a fresh jolt.
NFL.com released its 2026 preseason rankings Friday night, sorting all 32 teams based on where they believe each club stands right now. The Commanders landed at No. 29.
That’s a harsh drop for a team that won two playoff games in 2024, but the picture changed quickly in 2025. Washington finished 5-12, and its defense spent far too much of the season near the bottom of the league, ranking 30-32 in too many statistical categories.
There is also plenty of roster turnover to account for. The Commanders have two new coordinators and have rebuilt much of the defense, though not every analyst weighing in on preseason rankings is likely tracking every one of those changes.
Dan Quinn offered a blunt comparison when he was asked about Washington’s first depth chart, saying it carried about as much weight as preseason rankings. Whether he had seen NFL.com’s latest list or not, the point landed.
Pro Football Talk wasn’t much kinder. In its own 2026 preseason power rankings, Washington checked in at No. 26.
So if Daniels wants to talk about disrespect, the numbers are there. The Commanders are being treated like a team that still has plenty to prove, and their quarterback is leading the offense of a No. 29 team, at least in NFL.com’s eyes. The better question is whether that kind of ranking pushes Daniels to stay locked in on the job in front of him.
In Other News...
Commanders Cornerback Question Now Centers On A Familiar Name
Cornerback depth has become one of the quieter questions facing Washington as training camp approaches, and it has a familiar family connection attached to it. After signing Stefon Diggs in the offseason, the Commanders are still looking at ways to shore up the back end of their defense, and that search has naturally led to his brother, Trevon Diggs, as a possible veteran addition.
Trevon Diggs is currently a free agent, which keeps the idea alive for a team that could use help at corner. The fit would make sense on paper because Washington is weighing experience and depth at a spot where every camp rep matters, but the real question is whether the Commanders decide to make a move before practices begin. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders No. 7 Debate Reopens Theismanns Place In Team History
Joe Theismanns old No. 7 has become part of a familiar Washington conversation again, with the former quarterback making it clear he believes the call on whether players can wear it belongs to the franchise. The issue reaches beyond one jersey. It touches the teams long-running and sometimes uneven approach to honoring its best players, from outright retirements to looser forms of recognition, and it naturally invites a fresh look at where Theismann fits in that history.
Theismanns case is built on more than nostalgia, since his career achievements still stand out in Washington lore and compare favorably with some of the names already marked by the organization. Even so, the debate around No. 7 has a way of reopening bigger questions about who gets permanence and why, especially for a team whose history includes both celebrated legends and a handful of unclear distinctions. The unanswered piece now is whether Washington ever decides that Theismann belongs in the same class as the numbers it has chosen to preserve. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Kicker Battle Could Swing On Drew Stevens This Week
The first preseason test arrives this week for the Commanders, and it comes with an extra layer of significance for a roster spot that rarely gets this much attention. Washington opens against the Miami Dolphins with Drew Stevens and Jake Moody still locked in a kicking competition, and the early camp buzz has tilted toward the undrafted rookie as he makes his case for a job no one can afford to take lightly.
Stevens has handled himself well enough in practices to keep the battle interesting, while Moody brings the experience edge into a matchup that now shifts from camp fields to game action. The preseason is where Washington will try to sort out which leg it trusts most for the long haul, and every kick from here on out carries a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]