Is K’Lavon Chaisson being overlooked at the moment? - Daily Slop

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Sam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks is pressured by K'lavon Chaisson #44 of the New England Patriots during the second quarter Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Daily Slop – 30 June 2026Editor’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!

Commanders linksArticlesCommanders Roundtable

What edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson can prove in ’26 with the Washington CommandersChaisson [is potentially] the most underrated defensive addition in 2026. The veteran pass rusher also turned down a chance at a longer deal and more security to sign with Washington, a team he believed was capable of making a postseason run. Yet for a defense that struggled to generate pressure, Chaisson is a big part of what Washington needs to do better in 2026 where he has a chance to capitalize if near-$100 million addition Odafe Oweh draws increased attention opposite of him. While Oweh adds a long-term piece, Chaisson has a chance to prove himself after a career season with the New England Patriots in 2025.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Chaisson played at least 66% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps from weeks nine through 16, totaling a pair of sacks, four TFLs, one pass deflection and a pair of forced fumbles during that span. He also registered an impressive average of 2.87 seconds time to pressure where he thrived as a quick twitch edge rusher.

class="wp-block-paragraph">That’s the role that Chaisson will look to thrive in with the Commanders, opting for the one-year deal in Washington with a chance to prove himself for a third consecutive season.

Last Man Standig (paywall)

The Chiefs used Leo Chenal as a specialist; Washington sees something more[S]igning the point-of-attack defender to a three-year, $24.75 million contract in March checked off an inordinate number of boxes for a team seeking a makeover after ranking last in yards allowed per game.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Chenal, a member of Super Bowl championship teams in 2022 and 2023, never quite settled into a full-time defensive role with Kansas City. He topped 50 percent of the defensive snaps only once in four seasons despite appearing in 65 of 68 regular-season games. He missed the final three contests last season with a shoulder injury.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The opportunity for more work played a factor in choosing Washington among his free-agent options, Chenal said, as did joining first-year coordinator Daronte Jones’ “linebacker-friendly” scheme from his time with the Minnesota Vikings.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Chenal’s effectiveness as a blitzer (three sacks in 2025) and against the run takes minimal imagination. Pass defense isn’t an obvious strong suit; the NFL.com draft profile warned of agility and lateral movement concerns due to his “tightly-bound” physique.

class="wp-block-paragraph">For more from Ben Standig, click here

The Athletic (paywall)

Mail Bag with Nicki JhabvalaWill a portion of the offensive concepts run under Kliff Kingsbury that will still be featured in the new offense?

class="wp-block-paragraph">Yes, though it may be most noticeable in two-minute situations, when the Commanders go up-tempo. Blough has said his offense will be an amalgamation of concepts he picked up from play callers he’s played for and coached alongside in past years. To think he wouldn’t incorporate anything from Kingsbury would be foolish; he played for Kingsbury in Arizona in 2022 and spent his first two seasons as a coach learning from Kingsbury here in Washington.

class="has-text-align-none wp-block-paragraph">If you were Washington’s GM right now, what would be the first two moves you would want to make to strengthen the team before the upcoming season starts?

class="wp-block-paragraph">One player who intrigues me is receiver Curtis Samuel. The gamble may always be health-related with him. He’s dealt with a string of injuries throughout his career and has been active for only two full seasons in his nine years in the NFL.

class="wp-block-paragraph">But he’s still unsigned following his release from Buffalo in March. I’m told he’s fully healthy. We know he’s very close to McLaurin. He played all three seasons in Washington alongside Dyami Brown, and he’s familiar with receivers coach Bobby Engram, who was Samuel’s positional coach for his final season with the Commanders.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Samuel’s not at the point in his career where he could be a No. 2 in terms of workload, but his versatility and ability to separate could make him a good depth option in Blough’s offense.

ESPN

2026 NFL rookie updates: Tracking all first-round draft picks7. Washington Commanders

class="wp-block-paragraph">Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

class="wp-block-paragraph">Styles’ closing speed was evident throughout the spring — as was his football acumen, according to teammates and coaches. He impressed with his preparation and knowledge and how he handled wearing the green dot on his helmet. “All he wants to talk about is football,” linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. said. “When you’re around a guy that’s genuine and authentic, then you’ve got something to work with. You combine that with size, speed, strength and brain and he loves ball? He’s got a lot going for him.”

The Athletic (paywall)

One outstanding question for every team as the NFL’s summer break beginsWashington CommandersDid they give QB Jayden Daniels enough help on offense?

class="wp-block-paragraph">After finishing last season 5-12, the Commanders prioritized rebuilding the defense and creating a more “balanced” offense. They overhauled the systems on both sides of the ball, added speed and youth across the roster and spent more than $421 million in total contract value this offseason. But after OTAs and minicamp, the team still clearly lacks a true No. 2 receiver behind Terry McLaurin, doesn’t have an obvious leader in the running backs room and has questionable depth at tight end — all issues that contributed to their fall last season. It’s possible the team will consider adding a wideout later in the offseason or even after training camp, especially if a certain disgruntled 49er gets released. It’s also possible the Commanders find success with a running backs-by-committee approach, and develop their young tight ends behind Chig Okonkwo into reliable pass catchers. But as of now, the team lacks a consistent playmaker alongside Daniels and its star receiver.

Hogs Haven

Can Commanders get their 1st international win in London vs the Colts?Daniel Jones has a 5–3–1 all-time career record against the Washington franchise, which he accumulated during his six seasons with the New York Giants. Historically, Washington has been one of Jones’ least successful opponents, highlighted by the QB’s dominant 100.3 career passer rating against them, along with 14 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Things have been trending Washington’s way over time, however. The Redskins were 0-2 against Jones in 2019; the Washington Football Team was 1-3, losing both games in 2020, but winning the sole matchup against Jones in 2021.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Commanders had a 2-1-1 record against Daniel Jones, including a win in 2024 in the final game against him before he left the NFC East.

Missed field goals and overtimeThe burgundy & gold has played 2 international games and has a current record of 0-1-1.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Against the Bengals in 2016, the game ended in a 27-27 tie (more on that below).

class="wp-block-paragraph">Last year, playing the Dolphins in Madrid, Matt Gay missed a 56-yard field goal attempt with 15 seconds left in the 4th quarter to send a low-scoring game into overtime, tied 13-13. Washington got the ball first in OT, but Marcus Mariota threw an interception on the first play, allowing Miami to win on an easy 29-yard field goal on 1st down with over 7 minutes left in OT.

Commanders.com

Commanders 2026 opponent breakdown | ColtsCan Alec Pierce handle more responsibilities? The Colts’ biggest moves of the offseason were re-signing two of their own. The first was inking Jones to a new deal, while the second was retaining Pierce to keep the quarterback’s favorite target. There’s no doubt that Pierce has talent; he’s led the league in yards per reception over the last two seasons and has 17 touchdowns in the last four years. He seems to be a player on the rise with his first 1,000-yard season coming in 2025. It’s a prove-it year for Pierce, though, and not just because he received one of the largest contracts of the offseason. He knows there will be more responsibilities placed on his shoulders. He has never caught more than 47 passes in a season, and there will be more attention placed on him from defenses now. Pierce isn’t shying away from those challenges, but he undoubtedly needs to prove that he is worth the Colts’ investments in him.Can Sauce Gardner get back to form? The Colts swung big last season by acquiring Gardner from the New York Jets at the trade deadline. They were 6-1 at the time and looked like one of the best teams in the conference, so adding one of the league’s top cornerbacks, albeit for significant draft capital, seemed worth it. It might still be, but Gardner only played in four games with the Colts because of a leg injury. Gardner only had three pass deflections and 16 tackles in that span. The Colts need Gardner to return to the form he had earlier in his career, when he was a First Team All-Pro, not just for the sake of the defense, but also for the sake of the investments they made in him. He could seriously lift a unit that gave up the second-most passing yards in 2025, which would at least help them compete against the Houston Texans, who ended up winning the AFC South last season. There haven’t been any reported complications or setbacks for Gardner, but he’ll need to show that he’s fully healthy to instill more confidence in his ability to help the team going forward.Podcasts & videosNew Commanders stadium season ticket seats come with costly licenses | NBC4 WashingtonOn video with @onemangang97 as be recalls his Redskins career, Joe Gibbs and life after football. He was always great to interview. This was no different. @espnrichmondhttps://t.co/Yfufh3CQGL

— John Keim (@john_keim) June 29, 2026OVERLOOKED: Mike Sainristil, Jeremy McNichols Giving Commanders Real ValueNFC East linksBig Blue View

Are the NY Giants failing Jaxson Dart?The belief seems to be that Dart at least has the potential to be a franchise quarterback, with the evidence that the Giants produced league-average offense despite below-average talent around Dart. We can also see the sentiment in how the drafts of the Giants, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets were received.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Titans, Saints, Browns, and Jets were all praised for acquiring young and explosive skill position players to help take the load off their young quarterbacks (or future young quarterback in the Jets’ case). The Giants, meanwhile, were praised for addressing other positions while trusting Dart to cover up their warts on offense.

class="wp-block-paragraph">To be fair, the Giants have invested in their offensive skill positions, adding hybrid tight end Isaiah Likely, fullback Patrick Ricard, and six (6) wide receivers to their roster. The concern, however, is that none of the Giants’ skill position players scare much of anybody and that’s doubly true with Malik Nabers’ status uncertain. In other words, the Giants’ “quantity over quality” approach could leave them with a bevy of options, none of them good.

class="wp-block-paragraph">That’s the point of view taken by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who graded the Giants’ skill position players 31st in the NFL, behind only the Miami Dolphins at 32nd.

NFL.com

2026 NFL season: Ranking all eight candidates to go from worst to first in division racesNew York Giants

class="wp-block-paragraph">The big question is the health of Malik Nabers, who is working his way back from last season’s ACL tear. If Nabers misses significant time, New York lacks a field-tilting passing-game threat.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The NFC East will be hotly contested, with the Eagles remaining a steady force and the Cowboys and Commanders each shoring up weaknesses this offseason. However, Harbaugh’s arrival brings belief that the Giants can swiftly turn things around.

NFL league linksArticlesPro Football Talk

Report: First round of bids for Seahawks were due todayIn February, the final price was expected to fall in the range of $9 billion to $11 billion. Then came a report of a soft market. Not long after that, it was reported that the market had picked up.

class="wp-block-paragraph">PFT reported earlier this month that signs continue to point to a deal being done before the start of the 2026 regular season.

Daily AiyukPro Football Talk

Brandon Aiyuk terminated SRA on SaturdayThe NFLPA’s online database currently shows that Aiyuk is not represented. Per the NFLPA, the SRA was terminated on Saturday.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Aiyuk’s next step should be to promptly petition the league office for reinstatement from the reserve/left squad list. Once that happens, Aiyuk will be in position to show up for training camp, which most likely would prompt the 49ers to immediately release him.

aBit o’TwitterLike Brandon Aiyuk, Stefon Diggs appears to have gotten his hands on a #Commanders football🤔#RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/LryB6pCwYq

— Full Command (@FullCommandShow) June 29, 2026A really cool, unique event organized by Lane Johnson that has been fun to follow along with on social media. Awesome opportunity for young guys like Guyton/Campbell to attend too https://t.co/fCL4B3DV0F

— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) June 29, 2026Steve and Sam debate who the best QB in the NFL is right now 😳

"Mahomes has not played like the best QB in the NFL for quite a number of years now… we’ve reached the point now where I just cannot, in good conscience, construct an argument that he’s a better quarterback right… pic.twitter.com/nwsoAcGtgU

— Check the Mic with Steve Palazzolo & Sam Monson (@CTM_Show) June 29, 2026▫️ Kyler Murray vs. JJ McCarthy ▫️Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders ▫️Michael Penix Jr. vs. Tua Tagovailoa ▫️ Kirk Cousins vs. Fernando Mendoza@JFowlerESPN goes through the latest quarterback competitions ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/NHiG2CQdKw

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) June 29, 2026Only a few more to go 👀

These are catches 30-21 of the top 100 catches of 2025 pic.twitter.com/3RmLSPU77Z

— NFL (@NFL) June 29, 2026The Tampa court denied the government’s request to hold Lions CB Terrion Arnold without bond, pending trial. The court set a $1 million bond, and refused to impose an ankle bracelet as a condition of bond, clearing his way to participate in training camp. pic.twitter.com/rvHCOZtHDC

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 29, 2026The #Lions have released CB Terrion Arnold, who is accused of multiple felonies, including four counts each of kidnapping and assault. pic.twitter.com/Ki6Trn6RqT

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 29, 2026#Lions HC Dan Campbell said in April that the team did not believe Terrion Arnold was involved in the incident and that, as far as they knew, “it’s not a big deal.”

The organization also said it thoroughly questioned Arnold about the situation and believed he was not involved.… https://t.co/5TPbCZ5aOUpic.twitter.com/3ekkV0Xbxb

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 29, 2026“ALS has changed what my body can do but it hasn’t changed who I am.”

Chris Johnson is as courageous as he was fast on the football field. This is tough news but all the admiration for Johnson after watching this piece from @GMA. pic.twitter.com/nVpUU6a1tg

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 29, 2026This entire play needs to be set to blooper music. pic.twitter.com/I4EOqR0yMV

— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) June 30, 2026delete this. https://t.co/ks7fV7ohJ5

— cow (@cowincrisis) June 29, 2026