Joshua Josephs is starting to make the Commanders’ edge-rush picture a little more complicated.
Washington has already seen one late-round rookie carve out a role before, with seventh-round running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt doing exactly that last year. Josephs, a fifth-round edge rusher out of Tennessee, looks like he could be following a similar path if his summer momentum keeps building.
The buzz around Josephs has only grown since camp opened, and the first padded practice seemed to turn that into something more concrete. He stood out across the session and strengthened the case for real Year 1 involvement.
Joshua Josephs is having an impressive day so far. He had a batted pass earlier in team drills and showed off his speed against Wylie in 1-on-1s
- Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWC) August 3, 2026
That kind of report lines up with what has been showing up all summer: burst off the line, natural bend around the corner, and a nonstop motor that keeps him coming even when he doesn’t win the rep right away. He keeps attacking until the whistle, and that energy has clearly caught attention.
But the most interesting part of Josephs’ early work may be happening in an area that doesn’t always get the same spotlight. Washington has reportedly been using him in coverage, and he has handled those snaps well. He processes the play quickly, and when the ball is there, he has the closing speed to get involved.
That gives him another path to playing time. If he backs it up in preseason action, he could become awfully tough for defensive coordinator Daronte Jones to leave on the sideline once the games start counting.
The Commanders do have numbers on the edge after a deliberate offseason from general manager Adam Peters. Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Dorance Armstrong Jr. - if healthy - are the names most likely to lead the group. Even so, Josephs could force his way into a bigger rotational role than many expected if this keeps up.
He was viewed by many as a Day 2 talent before the draft, but he kept sliding, and Washington clearly felt the value was too good to pass up, even with the edge group not being a major need. Peters and head coach Dan Quinn made the call, and early signs suggest they may have found a real piece.
There are still things Josephs has to clean up. He isn’t the biggest player, even if his long wingspan helps cover for that.
His tackling technique also needs work. Still, the traits are obvious, and they give him a chance to become something more than just another late-round flier.
What he does in Washington’s preseason games will tell the story much better than camp reps alone. For now, though, the early returns are about as encouraging as the Commanders could have hoped for.
In Other News...
Commanders Homecoming Trend Comes With Pressure Fans Can Already Feel
Playing close to home can sound like a dream, but for NFL players with local roots, it comes with a different kind of pressure. Around the Commanders, that reality has shown up in the conversations around players such as Nick Cross and Stefon Diggs, both of whom have ties to the Washington area and understand what it means to perform in front of familiar faces, old friends and the same communities that watched them grow up.
Chase Youngs experience offered another reminder that a hometown fit is never simple. The comfort of being near family and friends can be real, but so can the expectations that come with it, both on the field and off it. For players weighing personal and professional factors, the Commanders homecoming appeal can feel like a major selling point, even as the local spotlight makes every step a little heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Amos Just Raised The Stakes For Washingtons Cornerback Battle
Trey Amos has been one of the more closely watched pieces of Washingtons cornerback picture this summer, even while he has stayed off the field. The Commanders are still working him back from the fibula fracture he suffered last season, and the team has been cautious about bringing him along too quickly as training camp gets rolling.
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 🡒]