Dan Quinn: WR Van Jefferson has stood out this offseason - Daily Slop

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The Daily Slop – 17 June 2026

Editor’s 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!

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Commanders.com

Minicamp notebook | Depth players get more opportunities

Just as they have done the previous two seasons, head coach Dan Quinn said the Commanders will practice all three days, although the structure will be different compared to OTAs. The Commanders split the players into two groups: those who got most of the work in the first three weeks of the offseason workouts, and those they still wanted to see more from. The former ran a walkthrough and did conditioning work, while the latter went through a more traditional practice.

“The purpose behind that is to really test where we’re at, the whole depth, top to bottom,” Quinn said. “If we want to throw the very best camp…having that depth is a big piece of that.”

So, that means that players like Athan Kaliakmanis, Sam Hartman and others got more opportunities to compete and end the offseason workout program on a positive note before training camp.

Quinn has been impressed with the effort first-round pick Sonny Styles has put in to learn the defense. He said the rookie looks “in control” when communicating calls and checks with his teammates, and it reminds him of how quarterback Jayden Daniels operates in the backfield.

ESPN

2026 NFL minicamp live updates

The Commanders did not like their depth last season, so a main goal this week will be to gauge how much they have improved in several areas. They did that Tuesday by giving more reps to players who have not had as many throughout the spring. Players who are viewed as potential starters stayed on one field, while backups conducted 11-on-11 work on another one.

“It’s not a question of if, but when,” said coach Dan Quinn of needing depth.

In Quinn’s first season two years ago, only one Washington starter, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, missed as many as nine regular-season games. No other starter missed more than six. In 2025, the Commanders had nine players who missed at least six games. Their depth was tested, and they failed the test en route to a 5-12 season.

Riggo’s Rag

Jacory Croskey-Merritt is back on the field at minicamp

After being held out of organized team activities, Jacory Croskey-Merritt was back on the practice field with his teammates. It was a welcome sight, one that should provide the second-year pro with the platform needed to flourish when things get tougher.

Washington revamped its backfield options throughout the offseason. Rachaad White and Jerome Ford were both acquired in free agency. Jeremy McNichols was re-signed to a one-year deal, and the Commanders also spent a sixth-round selection on Kaytron Allen. This raises urgency, and everything must be earned.

Commanders Roundtable

Commanders WRs impressing Dan Quinn at OTAs & minicamp amid Aiyuk, Diggs Talk

While the Washington Commanders are ignoring the noise, head coach Dan Quinn points to two wide receivers who caught his eye

With Terry McLaurin a known commodity and expected emphasized piece in the passing attack, head coach Dan Quinn pointed to veteran free agent signing Van Jefferson as “somebody that has really caught my eye” with his route running and ability to pick up first downs making him a potential underrated addition.

While Van Jefferson pointed to his presence as a veteran leader in the room, Quinn also noted Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey are “making their jumps” into year two and three, though the return of Dyami Brown adds established chemistry as Quinn noted he has a “good intensity about him” after day one of minicamp. Meanwhile, Treylon Burks will look to capitalize on a potential impact role with the starting role opposite of McLaurin a battle to watch into preseason.

A to Z Sports

Jayden Daniels’ efforts are setting a tone that should lead to success

Jayden Daniels is obviously an elite athlete, but the mental side of his game is just as impressive and well-documented.

He’s easily one the smartest/sharpest quarterbacks in the game and he proved that in 2024 when he took the league by storm en route to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Daniels quickly picked up then-offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme and went on to have one of the best, if not the best, rookie years in NFL history.

But all that’s obviously in the past, now, and it’s all about what he can do in David Blough’s new offense. So far, he hasn’t disappointed whatsoever and the standard he sets is forcing his teammates to ensure they’re on their best game, as well.

“I think it forces the other players to elevate quickly too, knowing that he’s really on his game,” Dan Quinn told reporters ahead of the first day of mandatory minicamp. “So when we check a play, we work different cadences, different personnel groups, like, they better have their space in order, because they can count on he and Marcus, you know, in that same space. So … really pushing tempos and pushing people into that spot, it’s absolutely like a hidden advantage for us.”

Commanders Roundtable

Luke McCaffrey’s pivotal 3rd season: determined to earn key role in Commanders’ WR rotation

In a microwave society where fans and media demand an instant impact, it’s easy to grow impatient with a player who doesn’t completely pop by year two. But the senior McCaffrey  emphasized that wide receiver development is rarely linear. Just look at Ed, who didn’t truly find his footing in the NFL until his fifth season and eventually making his first Pro Bowl at age 30 with the Denver Broncos.

“As a wide receiver, you can’t control your playing time and you can’t throw yourself the football,” Ed McCaffrey noted. “As a receiver, you have to be very patient, and you have to be ready for the opportunities that you get. When you get them, you really have to make them count. He knows that. He’s doing everything he can. It’s just the life of a wide receiver.”

With a new offensive coordinator installing his vision, everyone on the roster gets a fresh slate to prove themselves with the room coming into focus in minicamp. The early reviews on Blough are highly encouraging, with Ed McCaffrey noting that he has heard “a lot of great things coming out of OTAs from other coaches and players” regarding Washington’s new play-caller.

For Luke McCaffrey, the stage is set. He has the pedigree, the reported physical upgrades, and a brand-new coaching staff to impress. Now, it’s about translating that offseason growth into training camp production.

Commanders Roundtable

Commanders took Joshua Josephs with their first pick on Day 3 of the Draft; time is now on his side

Josephs, who was compared to Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt heading into the draft, measured in with over 34-inch arms and ten-inch hands as a 6-foot-3 edge rusher. Assistant general manager Lance Newmark was quick to note his length after his selection while Josephs also posted a 4.73 second time in the 40 yard dash, an impressive feat at his position while emphasizing his potential.

Yet the former Volunteer also arrives with less pressure than other rookies, like Sonny Styles and Antonio Williams, with the defense better stocked for year one under defensive coordinator Daronte Jones.

After measuring in at 242 pounds, time is on Josephs’s side where he’ll have a chance to bulk up as a standup edge rusher behind Oweh in the rotation. CBS Sports pointed to Josephs as a non-day one draft pick who could earn a key role, which would serve as a win for Washington’s development, but it isn’t an expectation for the defense to prove to be successful in 2026.

Last Man Standig

Dan Quinn’s minicamp focus isn’t Jayden Daniels; it’s the Commanders’ depth

Talk about perfect spring weather for an early-afternoon practice. High of 78 degrees, sunny skies and minimal humidity. Someone bottle this up for training camp.

For more from Ben Standig, click here

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Podcasts & videos

All Smiles On Media Day With Johnny Newton, Bill Croskey-Merritt, And More | Get Loud | CommandersMORE REPS: Commanders ELEVATING Opportunities for Unproven Players | Fred Davis Closes with INT

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Big Blue View

If Malik Nabers isn’t ready, do the NY Giants have enough talent at WR?

After looking at what they had for most of the spring, the Giants clearly made the judgment that they need more at the position when they replaced one injured player (Gunner Olszewski) with three veteran wide receivers (Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios, JuJu Smith-Schuster) at the beginning of June.

The wildcard in the passing attack isn’t even a wide receiver. It is tight end Isaiah Likely. He averaged 33.75 catches in four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants are paying him $40 million over the next three years ($20.5 million guaranteed) to be much more than that. If he is, that will be a huge help. If he isn’t, that will put more pressure on the wide receivers.

If Nabers is missing from the lineup or limited, the Giants’ wide receiver group won’t be nearly as dynamic as it could be. The group could be OK, but there are a lot of question marks

Blogging the Boys

George Pickens to play season on franchise tag, will not hold out

There will be no holdout for the Dallas Cowboys and wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens said it himself on Tuesday.

The Cowboys began their mandatory minicamp, and given that it’s mandatory, many wondered whether or not Pickens would show up. This was, of course, because the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Pickens at the beginning of the offseason. But Pickens signed the tag well before Tuesday which let plenty of air out of the drama balloon.

When he spoke after the day’s festivities, he let out what little air remained by pledging to play this season on the tag he signed and stating that he will not be holding out.

ESPN

What can Cowboys expect from coach Schottenheimer in Year 2?

At this time last year, Schottenheimer spent most of his time with the offense. He had a first-time coordinator in Klayton Adams and a number of coaches who needed to learn what Schottenheimer wanted the offense to look like.

Looking back, he said he wishes he could have taken a more direct approach with the defense, led by then-coordinator Matt Eberflus. It wasn’t until early in the regular season that he spent more time in the defensive meetings after things started poorly.

This spring, Schottenheimer has spent more time in the defensive meetings with new coordinator Christian Parker. During practices, Schottenheimer is more observant of what is happening with special teams, watching punt coverage drills intently to make sure the details are followed.

The Athletic (paywall)

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is a hothead and a lightning rod; just don’t call him a phony

In the City of Brotherly Love, Sirianni is stigmatized by the widespread perception of his limitations as an offensive strategist, and he’s often marginalized as a glorified caretaker of an operation fueled by an elite owner, rock-star GM, brilliant defensive coordinator and talent-rich roster.

Sirianni, 45, a hypercompetitive hothead who has conspicuously engaged with players (in Eagles and opposing jerseys), coaches (Eagles and opposing), fans (same) and officials, wants to be a mature person who can rein in his emotions, but not at the expense of surrendering his essence. In his heart, he would rather be called unhinged than fake, and he’d happily trade the reproach of millions for the certainty that his players understand how much he cares. As a result, he exists in a continuous state of uneasy equilibrium, purposeful in his quest to be a “servant leader” who models discipline while largely at peace with his propensity for tweaking, and the scrutiny that ensues.

He runs hot and makes no apologies for his volcanic eruptions, even the most flagrant ones: the sideline jawing match with San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw; the postgame spat with Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz, an Eagles legend; the mouthing off to officials after leaving the sideline box to call a timeout (“I know what the f— I’m doing!”); the tirade toward then-New York Jets coach Robert Saleh after a late hit in a preseason game (“Saleh, what the f—? … That’s f—ing bulls—!”); the trash talk to a Philly fan behind the team’s bench after a home victory.

Saquon Barkley: “If you don’t know Nick Sirianni, it’s easy not to like Nick Sirianni.”

Bleeding Green Nation

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to retired list among 4 moves

JTS was suspiciously absent from the Eagles’ media-attended spring practices, including their two-day mandatory minicamp. It’s unclear what changed for him from the time he originally signed with the Eagles on March 30 to him now deciding to retire. Just speculating here but perhaps the late April trade for Jonathan Greenard put a damper on his hopes for a bigger role in Philly. The Eagles will hold his rights if JTS decides to unretire but it looks like he won’t be part of the team in 2026. This development helps to explain why the Eagles recently signed free agent edge rusher A.J. Epenesa.

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ESPN

Bo Nix on track for training camp, says 2nd surgery was for bone spurs

Nix fractured his right ankle on Jan. 17 during a game-winning drive in overtime against Buffalo. He had surgery two days later in Birmingham at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedics Clinic.

Nix then returned to Birmingham, Alabama, for a follow-up surgery in April to alleviate pain from bone spurs.

On Tuesday, Nix explained that he was ahead of schedule in his recovery from the fracture, but he was experiencing pain from the bone spurs.

“[I] felt pretty good, was still having a little bit of an issue with bone spurs,” Nix said. “What we did was — even though I probably could’ve gone again and [played] the whole season again — it was just aggravating me for too long. So, what we did was, since I was a little bit ahead, thought it best to go ahead and decompress it a little bit. Then [I] still had plenty of time to get back for the summer and to prepare for the season.”

Discussion topics

Pro Football Focus

Ranking the best NFL teams to not win a Super Bowl over the last 20 years

9.2024 Detroit Lions

In 2024, the Lions went from upstart competitor to outright contender. While finishing with a 15-2 record, Detroit deposited a 93.8 overall PFF grade, which trailed only the champion Eagles that season.

Detroit’s remarkable year featured a terrific offense, as Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and others helped the team rank second in both EPA per play and average yards per play. On the other side, Aidan Hutchinson, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch powered a defense that allowed scoring drives at the 10th-lowest figure.

Believe it or not, Dan Campbell’s 2024 squad is responsible for the fifth-highest single-season point differential at +222. After being upset by the Commanders in the divisional round, Campbell & Co. will hope to finally make the Super Bowl in a bounce-back 2026 campaign.

4.2016 Atlanta Falcons

Much like their NFC South rivals the year before, the 2016 Falcons rode the league MVP to a scintillating season. Atlanta’s 95.6 overall PFF grade was tops, powered by an offense that finished with a 0.233 EPA per play mark and a 52.9% scoring drive rate. What Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman assembled was downright special.

Atlanta’s defense was more problematic, slotting 15th in grade with zero performers reaching an 82.0 mark. That unit proved to be part of an infamous 28-3 demise in Super Bowl 51 against the Patriots. While these Falcons are etched on the wrong side of history, their broader campaign was incredible nevertheless.

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