The Daily Slop – 18 July 2026<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!<\/p>\n
Rave reviews of David Blough and Jayden Daniels from now-head coach at Stanford, Tavita Pritchard<\/a><\/p>\n Washington\u2019s shift to more bootlegs and play actions is expected to allow more vertical shots in an offense that attempted just 40 passes over 20 yards last season\u2013 sixth-fewest across the NFL. It also adds the dynamic of Daniels as a weapon in space, also providing a chance for Daniels to dispel critics after 2025. Yet the chance to turn that praise into production will also come from a foundation already set between the two over the last two seasons, highlighted by the weekly quarterback competitions after Friday\u2019s practices while Blough served as assistant quarterbacks coach. Blough then benefitted from a promotion after Tavita Pritchard departed<\/a> from quarterbacks coach in Washington to the next head coach at Stanford.<\/p>\n To read more of this article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n [The Commanders] parted ways with Kliff Kingsbury and elevated David Blough from assistant quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. The move allowed the Commanders to bring a new vision and keep Blough — someone who has played a key role in Daniels\u2019 development — in the building. And while Daniels admits that he doesn\u2019t have a say in which coaches the team hires, the move does have his blessing.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been fun,\u201d Daniels told Bryan Colbert Jr. when asked about working with Blough. \u201cI talk to him all the time. And I told him it\u2019s just been cool to see…him go from assistant QB coach to now offensive coordinator.\u201d<\/p>\n To read more of this Commanders.com article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Who fell out of the NFL top-10 positional rankings in 2026?<\/a><\/p>\n Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (5): Daniels won the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year award, but he struggled alongside his team last season, playing in only seven games and seeing his numbers decline across the board. The 25-year-old has plenty of time to reclaim his status as a top QB.<\/p>\n Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (9): The Eagles\u2019 2025 issues have been well documented<\/a>, and Hurts is not blameless. He still has plenty of believers around the league, like one AFC offensive coach who told us: \u201cI know it has been up and down, but I\u2019m still betting on the Super Bowl credentials, the intangibles and the toughness.\u201d<\/p>\n Frankie Luvu, Washington Commanders (5): Luvu excelled in his first season as a Commander and was a second-team All-Pro. However, he fell off in every major statistical category in Year 2 as the Commanders\u2019 defense plunged to last in the NFL in yards allowed (6,533).<\/p>\n To read more of this article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Mike Sainristil: Numbers show one of NFL\u2019s worst CBs<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSainristil was one of the many Commanders defenders who took a major step backward in 2025 after impressing the prior season,\u201d Barnwell wrote. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t rule out a return to form for the third-year pro, although he would need to prove that he can hold up as an outside cornerback to justify a first-round pick as a trade return.\u201d<\/p>\n Sainristil, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, received a 52.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus<\/a> in 2025, which ranked him 96th out of 114 eligible players at his position.<\/p>\n In 2 of the most important metrics, Sainristil fell woefully short<\/a>. He led the NFL in receptions allowed (106) and was 4th in receiving touchdowns allowed (10). Opposing quarterbacks finished the season with a 109.7 passer rating when targeting Sainristil.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel awful saying this because I love Mike Sainristil as a dude (and as a player for that matter),\u201d 106.7-FM The Fan\u2019s Grant Paulsen<\/a> wrote on his official X account in November, with the Commanders on a 7-game losing streak. \u201cThere\u2019s been no bigger regression or larger disappointment this season than the step backwards he has taken. I still feel good about his future but his 2024 and 2025 seasons are night and day different. People forget. He was so good last year.\u201d<\/p>\n To read more of this article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Chenal set set for more integral role under Daronte Jones<\/a><\/p>\n Leo Chenal – Commanders LB<\/p>\n While Leo Chenal is not a fledgling hopeful looking for a place on the team, he\u2019s a potential camp standout for a different reason. After spending the first four years of his career as a rotational presence and special-teams ace with the Kansas City Chiefs, he now looks set for a more integral role within Washington\u2019s defensive concepts under Daronte Jones.<\/p>\n This system emphasizes versatility and athleticism. Chenal has these traits in abundance, and his impressive production when called upon in Kansas City suggests he is more than ready for increased responsibilities<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chenal has the size and instinctiveness needed to make a considerable difference. He\u2019s got the speed to reach the contact point quickly, is an effective blitzer, and leaves his mark with every tackle. If Sonny Styles and Frankie Luvu also reach their 2026 ceiling, this could be among the league\u2019s most prolific linebacker trios.<\/p>\n To read more of this article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Commanders Rookie Matt Gulbin Could Be Training Camp\u2019s Biggest Sleeper<\/a><\/p>\n After playing guard at Wake Forest, Gulbin transferred to Michigan State and started 11 games at center in 2025. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 82.6, including a pass-blocking grade of 87.8 and a run-blocking grade of 81.9. In 727 offensive snaps, he allowed five pressures and two sacks.<\/p>\n Gulbin\u2019s game-by-game grades also show that his overall mark was not carried by one dominant performance. He earned a grade of at least 70 in six appearances and never fell below 61.9.<\/p>\n The experience Gulbin has at all three interior offensive-line positions gives him a clear path toward becoming the primary backup for Washington.<\/p>\n \u201dI feel comfortable in all three interior positions. Left guard, center, right guard. I think I\u2019ve been able to succeed at all three of those spots because of my football knowledge and how I go about my preparation. And my overall understanding of my job and what I need to get done.\u201cMatt Gulbin on draft night<\/p>\n For now, his biggest opportunity will come at center, where Allegretti has limited experience after playing guard for most of his NFL career.<\/p>\n To read more of this article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Biggest remaining roster issue for every NFC team <\/a><\/p>\n Outside WR2: Cornerback and defensive tackle carry plenty of question marks for the Commanders. But the state of the depth chart across from Terry McLaurin is the biggest issue in my book. Treylon Burks has been disappointing in the four years since his first-round selection by Tennessee. Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson are merely complementary options and third-round rookie Antonio Williams will likely work out of the slot. There is no one reliable to line up opposite McLaurin, so Jayden Daniels will be asked to make lemonade out of lemons (again) in 2026.<\/p>\n To read more of this article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n The other player who appeared twice on the list is surprisingly not a QB. Offensive lineman Trent Williams also avoided the rookie wage scale and signed a second contract with Washington, putting him atop the franchise\u2019s list (although he\u2019ll likely be passed by Terry McLaurin and Daron Payne this upcoming season). Then, following his move to the 49ers, Williams became the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history when he signed a six-year, $138.06MM extension. While Nick Bosa will eventually catch him, the veteran OT will retain his position atop San Francisco\u2019s list for at least the next year.<\/p>\n To read more of this article, CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Should the NFL adopt the UFL\u2019s 4-point field goal rule?<\/a><\/p>\n Two seasons ago, the NFL revamped its kickoff rules<\/a> in hopes of reducing injuries and encouraging more returns when it implemented a dynamic kickoff structure that had been used in the XFL, a spring football league now known as the UFL.<\/p>\n The changes worked. The return rate in the NFL increased from 21.8% in 2023 to 32.8% in 2024. Further tweaks to league rules in 2025<\/a> resulted in the rate jumping to 74.5% in 2025.<\/p>\n This year, the UFL implemented the four-point field goal and saw an uptick in 60-yard field goals. During the UFL\u2019s 2025 season, no 60-yard field goals were made. But in 2026, the league went 8-for-14 (57.1%) on such kicks, including going 4-for-4 in the playoffs.<\/p>\n Last season in the NFL, kickers attempted a record 22 field goals of 60 or more yards and made 12 (55%). That\u2019s nearly as many successful field goals from 60-plus yards last season were nearly as many as kickers made in the previous three seasons (14).<\/p>\n \u201cHeck yeah, man. Let\u2019s go,\u201d Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said in support of a four-point field goal. \u201cUp the ante a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n