The Washington Commanders made a short trip to take on the Baltimore Ravens for a joint practice before their final preseason contest on Friday night. And after head coach Dan Quinn threw down the gauntlet to his players earlier in the week, a big response was needed.
Quinn wasn't happy after Washington's warm-up game against the Detroit Lions. It had nothing to do with the defeat, but more with the disjointed performance and lack of complementary football versus Dan Campbell's second- and third-string players at Ford Field.
After so much positivity this offseason, things are slowly unraveling again. And make no mistake; Quinn was going to find out a lot more about his squad versus a perennial contender in the AFC.
As expected, it was hot, physical, and not very competitive. There were very few bright moments for Washington. There were also some glaring flaws that couldn't be ignored. More importantly, this has given Quinn and general manager Adam Peters plenty to ponder heading into this weekend's final cuts.
Before then, here are five winners and three losers from Washington's joint practice across the Beltway against Baltimore.
Winners and losers from the Commanders' joint practice against the Ravens
Loser No. 1
Commanders run defense
This one needs a little bit of context.
The Commanders were missing some established starters from the joint practice, which was always going to make things difficult against the Ravens. Daron Payne, Odafe Oweh, and K'Lavon Chaisson didn't participate. Neither did free-agent signing Tim Settle Jr., while 2024 second-round selection Johnny Newton is a long-term absentee with a torn pectoral.
That's a lot of quality and mass to be without, and it showed.
Reports suggested Washington's defensive front couldn't win in the trenches, which led to problems against the run. They were gashed early and never clawed back this momentum. The rushing gaps were too wide, leaving the linebacking corps with too much to do.
#Commanders Interior defensive line. Many are out, Da’Ron Payne, Tim Settle, Johnny Newton. Their absence was noticeable today against the Ravens offensive line.
— CWallSports (@cwallse) August 26, 2026
This is more a reflection of their depth issues than of their starting options. Washington's 3-4 front looked dominant earlier this offseason when healthy, and hopefully that will be the case when the regular season begins. But if Payne, Settle, or Javon Kinlaw miss time, the Commanders have got a real problem without outside reinforcements.
It's clear as a sunny day.
Peters must recognize the urgency to fortify Washington's depth on both sides of the line. And with so much at stake for the Commanders this season, nothing whatsoever should be left to chance.
It all starts up front. And this shows just how much the Commanders are lacking lower down the depth chart.
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