The Washington Commanders have some complications. Everything looked optimistic earlier this offseason, but the cracks are now starting to show.
And during their first (and only) legitimate litmus test of the offseason, the concerns grew exponentially.
Head coach Dan Quinn demanded a strong response from his players after a lackluster preseason outing against the Detroit Lions. He felt standards slipped, and everyone just went through the motions. He wanted a good reaction in joint practice versus the Baltimore Ravens, and anything less would be unacceptable.
Commanders' offense slumps to concerning new low in joint practice with the Ravens
Unfortunately, the Commanders were nowhere near the required standard.
And according to those in attendance, the offense was embarrassingly out of sync.
Nick Jhabvala of The Athletic, who successfully called out the off vibes last summer, said during practice that it was the worst Washington's offense had looked in years. They were missing right guard Sam Cosmi and five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, a long-term absentee. But even so, this was not the response Quinn was after.
This is the worst I’ve ever seen the Commanders’ offense in years. Inoperable offensive line.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 26, 2026
Now, it's worth remembering that the Ravens' defense is no slouch.
They looked revived and purposeful with Jess Minter as head coach, and the Commanders had no real answer. Considering we are now a little more than two weeks away from Washington's regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, that's a problem.
A big one.
The Commanders placed a significant amount of faith in David Blough this offseason. He's expected to bring the innovative offensive concepts and fresh ideas needed to take things up a notch, including a more pro-style offense for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Commanders got a massive wake-up call in first real offseason test
With the Dolphins posing almost no problems and the Lions' starters sitting out Week 2 of the preseason, joint practice against the Ravens was the most telling measuring stick for the Commanders so far.
And they failed.
The protection crumbled in all phases. This caused a ripple effect on Daniels' accuracy and on the receivers, who had little to no time to create separation. The ground game was almost nonexistent again, though some prominent names were also missing from the backfield dynamic.
Oh my, Trey Hendrickson, Travis Jones and Trenton Simpson party in the backfield for a group sack on Jayden Daniels. Ravens sideline is going crazy. 4 of 5 plays this drive have resulted in no gain or FTL.
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) August 26, 2026
Overreactions can be either way at this time of year. Excitement can build for a playoff push, or fans will brace for another long campaign based on summer efforts. Commanders fans have experienced both sides of the spectrum this summer, but it's now leaning more toward the negative side.
Everyone needs to take a good, long look in the mirror. Key men were missing, of course, but if the Commanders want to get out of their slump, it must be a collective effort.
There is no room for passengers. Certain backups aren't meeting expectations, and general manager Adam Peters must take drastic action to prevent things from spiraling further.
The warning signs have been there over the last fortnight. The Commanders need to get back to basics and find solutions to the clear problems they now face.
Otherwise, the 2026 campaign will end only one way.
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