The odyssey surrounding Jayden Daniels’ preseason debut turned into a box office bust.
One series. Three plays. That’s all we saw from the quarterback and Washington’s first-team offense.
One yard. That’s what the group generated in the 17-13 loss at Ford Field, in what is likely their only preseason drive.
Umpteen. As in the number of questions about the offense, players and plan that now exist ahead of Wednesday’s joint practice and Friday’s preseason finale with Baltimore. We’re almost one week out from roster cuts on Aug. 30.
Getting Daniels and the starters some work after sitting out last week’s preseason opener against Miami was part of Saturday’s storyline. The QB attempted one pass in his first NFL game action since re-injuring his shoulder in the Dec. 7 blowout loss at Minnesota.
“It’s good to go out there just operationally. Live bullets. Joint practice is great practice, but it’s a different type of urgency when going against someone else live,” Daniels said. “It was good to get back out there and play football once again.”
The return was short and ineffective.
Daniels faced immediate pressure on first down and got sacked for a 10-yard loss on second down.
The most positive aspects of the offense’s opening possession? Daniels avoided a first-down sack by getting rid of the ball amid immediate pressure, and Lions lineman D.J. Wonnum didn’t take the quarterback to the ground on the second-down sack.
Head coach Dan Quinn can feel good about the defensive effort. Despite missing several key front-seven players, Washington had four sacks and created two turnovers over the opening quarter and a half. They finished with five sacks and seven tackles-for-loss.
Only 51 seconds into the game, rookie edge defender Joshua Josephs recovered a fumble in the end zone after cornerback Amik Robertson dislodged the ball with a well-struck blitz on Lions QB Josh Dobbs. Safety Quan Martin snatched his second interception of the preseason on Detroit’s next possession.
Daniels and the first-team offense (minus center Nick Allegretti and running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt) entered. Starting at midfield following Martin’s interception:
1st-and-10 — Shotgun, 11 personnel: Daniels is forced to throw the ball away. Lions rookie defensive end Derrick Moore pushed left tackle Brandon Coleman backward. With linebacker Jack Campbell beating center Julian Good-Jones up the middle, Daniels had nowhere to go beyond throwing an incompletion toward running back Kaytron Allen near the sideline.
2nd-and-10 — Under center: Jailbreak. It appeared tight end John Bates was slow blocking down from the formation right, and Wonnum quickly crossed the line of scrimmage.
3rd-and-20 from Washington’s 40: The no-risk draw to Allen goes for 11 yards and brings on punter Tress Way.
Not ideal.
Quinn lauded the play of right guard Sam Cosmi (“He's maybe playing the best that I've seen him play in the past couple, three years) and gave a thumbs up to Brandon Coleman (I like what I'm seeing on the outside at left tackle).
The coach then landed in the middle of line, where the concerns have been front and center all summer with questionable options filling in.
“So, we got work to do to figure out where we wanna get to center,” Quinn said.
And yet the most frustrating aspect is what happened on the second drive:
The backups entered.
Quinn committed to a one-series-and-out scenario for the offense.
That may have been ideal if Daniels had carved up the Lions defense as he did in the 2024 divisional round win. After two sketchy plays and a give-up draw by Kaytron Allen for 11 on third-and-20, an audible for a second series seemed logical.
Quinn didn’t audible.
“I knew if it was going to be 10 plays or three plays, that’s how we were going to do it,” the coach said.
Not only did Daniels exit, but so did the entire first team, including receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, and four-fifths of the offensive line.
Assuming we don’t see the starters in Friday’s preseason finale at Baltimore, Wednesday at the Ravens practice facility will be the most important joint practice ever.
Fine. Most important this cycle. No debate there.
You wouldn’t know Washington’s defensive front was without Daron Payne, Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson. After generating three turnovers in the preseason opener against Miami, Daronte Jones’ group turned the Lions over twice in the first eight plays.
The Lions played without quarterback Jared Goff and other offensive standouts, including running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and left tackle Penei Sewell. Still, the Commanders showed some of the chaos a blitz-heavy plan can create.
Robertson’s sack off the edge was a good example of how this defense can confuse quarterbacks trying to gauge who is rushing and who is dropping. Dobbs took the hit from the front. The loose ball went backward toward the Lions’ end zone before Josephs fell on it.
Three more sacks followed on Detroit’s first possession of the second quarter. Recently signed DT Maurice Hurst got the first before T.J. Maguranyanga and Kain Medrano combined for a takedown, and Javonte Jean-Baptiste got QB Luke Altmeyer.
Charles Omenihu did not record a sack, but his pressure led to Dobbs throwing into traffic while on the move — and right to Martin.
Safety Tyler Owens trucking a running back trying to pass-block was another highlight.
Quinn also pulled the starting defense after one series, meaning the starters on both sides of the ball played five snaps.
The defensive issues were on the ground. Detroit ran the ball effectively before and after Dobbs turned upfield for a 50-yard touchdown.
Washington had nine defenders within six yards of the line of scrimmage. Two rookies, Josephs at right end and linebacker Sonny Styles,** were on the weak side of the formation. That’s where Dobbs ran the read-option. Josephs bought hard on the play-action, and Styles got caught up in the traffic inside, leaving a lane for Dobbs without help behind the kids.
The Commanders won’t have that much inexperience lined up together in the regular season. Regardless, better to have the teachable moment now. Styles has had a few in the first two games.
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Daniels (tries) closing the LSU chapter
Daniels addressed the LSU situation in person for the first time following Saturday’s game.
“The statement is out. But for me now, it’s really just focusing on Commanders football. I said everything I had to say within the statement. Now it’s really just getting ready for Week 1.”
He previously released a statement following backlash over the combination of a cease-and-desist letter to LSU regarding the school’s use of his name, image and likeness following his college career, and his desire for the Tigers not to issue his No. 5 jersey number to another player.
Since he received only one question on the newsy topic, expect more next time he speaks.
Rookie kicker Drew Stevens made both of his field goal attempts, from 27 and 32 yards,** respectively, and an extra point. Barring the unforeseen, the UDFA will be Washington’s Week 1 kicker after beating out incumbent Jake Moody, who was released this week.
Quarterback Sam Hartman initially replaced Daniels before platooning with rookie Athan Kaliakmanis. Stats aside, the seventh-rounder displayed more pop on his throws, including a perfect shot down the right sideline to receiver Nick Nash for 55 yards.
Kaliakmanis finished 11 of 14 for 162 yards. Hartman completed 9 of 11 for 67 yards.
The competition here is less head-to-head and more about whether Washington keeps a QB3. It’s Kaliakmanis if they do, but opening a roster spot for another position seems likely, with the rookie potentially signing to the practice squad after clearing waivers. He has given the staff something to consider this summer, even if he remains a developmental prospect.
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There’s no official injury report during training camp and the preseason, but Washington’s list of players ruled out in Detroit basically counts as one:
QB Marcus Mariota (MCL)
RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt
RB Rachaad White (hamstring)
RB Jeremy McNichols (quad)
C Nick Allegretti (calf)
DT Daron Payne (undisclosed)
DT Tim Settle (calf)
DE Dorance Armstrong
ED Odafe Oweh (calf)
ED K’Lavon Chaisson (knee)
LB Jordan Magee (shoulder)
CB Trey Amos (ankle)
OT Laremy Tunsil (triceps surgery)
DT Johnny Newton (pectoral surgery)
DL Deatrich Wise (quad; PUP)
We don’t know whether “Bill” is officially injured, but something is going on. I saw him pull up after accelerating down the left sideline following a catch in the flat. He was certainly in good spirits postgame, so whatever the issue is, it seems minor. Easy for me to say.
Let’s see which of the front-seven defenders are available for Wednesday’s joint practice against the Ravens. Even without injury specifics, skipping practice would say a lot.
Mariota will miss at least another week of practice.**
Owens and Van Jefferson each limped off the field in Detroit at one point, but both returned.
Jean-Baptiste continues to push for a roster spot despite Washington’s deep edge group. Teams don’t release viable pass rushers, and the 2024 seventh-round pick looks like one. Quinn cited his efforts postgame.
The OL depth remains problematic beyond Andrew Wylie. Trent Scott as a ninth lineman capable of replacing an injured player is fine. Asking the veteran to play heavy reps is another matter. On one run play, Scott, playing left tackle, was slow getting outside as the lead blocker for rookie Robert Henry Jr. The play resulted in a five-yard loss. Issue: There aren’t automatically better alternatives.
Catch of the game goes to Jaden Bradley. The huge 6-foot-5 target snared a one-handed 30-yarder despite his other arm being held. The staff may be reconsidering the crowded WR room hierarchy even if the UDFA ultimately is practice-squad bound.
Players with multiple receptions: Nash (2 for 62), Bradley (2 for 42), third-rounder Antonio Williams (3 for 41), Jacoby Jones (3 for 37), Van Jefferson (2 for 17) and running back Craig Reynolds (2 for 3).
It’s unclear if there is room to keep linebackers Kain Medrano and Ali Kaho, or only one — and possibly neither. Like Jean-Baptiste, the pair flashed in the game. Medrano is the speed option, though he delivered a textbook tackle. Kaho provides a heavy hitter in the middle with green dot potential.
Henry, a standout against Miami, fumbled Washington’s final kickoff return and rushed four times for minus-3 yards. The Commanders finished with 35 yards on 17 attempts.
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