The Washington Commanders are finally getting into game mode after a long summer, and the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins is the first real chance to see how all that offseason competition translates when the lights come on.
Dan Quinn is not expected to expose many starters in this one, especially after the work Washington already banked in a solid joint practice with Miami. That opens the door for the players farther down the roster - the ones trying to force their way into the conversation before final cuts arrive in a few short weeks.
General manager Adam Peters will be watching closely, because these preseason snaps can swing a player’s standing in a hurry. For some, one strong showing can change the math. For others, a shaky night can make the path a lot steeper.
One of the names to watch is Kain Medrano, who is entering his second offseason with Washington as something of an unknown. He didn’t appear in the defensive rotation last year, and the Commanders brought him along slowly for good reason. This summer, though, the expectation is clearly higher.
Medrano’s athletic ability has never been the issue. The bigger questions have centered on the finer points of the position and how well he reads things in real time.
The encouraging sign is that the flashes have been there. He looks more settled, and last year’s experience seems to have helped him.
With Nick Bellore now retired, Medrano could also be in line for a meaningful special teams role thanks to his burst and instinctiveness. That makes these preseason games especially important. They’ll show whether he’s made enough progress to carve out a real place for himself.
There’s plenty of depth in Washington’s linebacker room, which means the room for mistakes is already thin. Medrano has the traits, but traits alone won’t keep him around. He needs to turn them into production now, because the Commanders will not wait forever.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Commanders Preseason Win Just Changed Two Key Roster Battles
Washingtons preseason win over Miami offered more than a clean final score, because plenty of the roster math around the Commanders got a little clearer. The running back group, in particular, got a useful jolt from the kind of game coaches love to see in August, with rookies and depth players getting real chances to separate themselves while the team sorted through its back end.
Robert Henry Jr. gave that battle some real shape with a strong all-around showing, and Kaytron Allen also helped himself with an efficient night. Elsewhere, the quarterback competition and the secondary both had moments that mattered, as Sam Hartman and Athan Kaliakmanis did not produce the same kind of impression and Malik Spencer and Quan Martin each came away with key plays, leaving Washington with a few roster questions still to settle. [Read more 🡒]