After head coach Dan Quinn revealed that all his big hitters will be available for the Washington Commanders' Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, they can go all guns blazing into battle.
Quinn confirmed that Jacory Croskey-Merritt, K'Lavon Chaisson, Odafe Oweh, and Daron Payne have all been cleared. Losing even one of them would have been detrimental to the team's chances of pulling off an upset, but this development is sure to give the Eagles a little more to think about during a critical divisional clash to begin the campaign.
That is huge.
Commanders are as healthy as they can be for pivotal Eagles showdown
This will no doubt be a relief for Quinn, too.
The Commanders are already without left tackle Laremy Tunsil and defensive lineman Johnny Newton for most, if not all, of the 2026 season. Any more health setbacks won't be viewed favorably, especially given how injuries decimated their chances of another playoff run in 2025.
Just how much the aforementioned quartet will be on the field wasn't (and won't be) disclosed. They all missed time over the summer, so a full workload might not be feasible. But whatever they contribute will help.
Philadelphia is still favored, and perhaps rightfully so. But the morale boost Washington's locker room will get from having four key men available to help cannot be overstated.
Chaisson and Oweh are expected to bring the fire off the edge. Croskey-Merritt is the lead backfield threat looking to build off his sensational rookie campaign. Payne's credentials need no introduction, and in a contract year, the Pro Bowl defensive lineman should be highly motivated in pursuit of another financial commitment.
And big games need big players.
Commanders need all their big hitters to perform against the Eagles
The Commanders still have their backs against the wall. Philadelphia doesn't have wide receiver A.J. Brown and is running a new offense again, but they remain strong. Their defense is dominant, and unless Quinn's squad is right at the top of their game in all phases, this could be a long afternoon at the office.
Oweh, Chaisson, Payne, and Croskey-Merritt being able to feature won't move the needle fully. But make no mistake; it should make the Commanders more competitive.
This is the boost Quinn needed at a critical time.
He's under pressure to turn the Commanders around this season. Quinn has worked tirelessly behind the scenes, but he's not on the field. That's the job of his players, and if there are any weak links, the Eagles will have no trouble exploiting them.
Thankfully, the Commanders are as healthy as they can be. And given how intimidating playing Philadelphia on the road is, it's an all-hands-on-deck situation where there is absolutely no room whatsoever for passengers.
Oweh, Chaisson, Payne, and Croskey-Merritt have hit their markers and done what's required to get the green light. And if they can perform as expected, the Commanders might just have a shot at securing an upset to get their campaign off on the front foot.
Stranger things have happened, that's for sure.
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