Washington’s Cutdown-Day QB Decision Suddenly Matters Much More — Commanders Daily

Washington kept Athan Kaliakmanis as a developmental quarterback in August. Three weeks later, that decision suddenly carries much more weight.

Aug 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws a pass against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Marcus Mariota will start Sunday, putting 7th-round pick Athan Kaliakmanis one snap away from running an NFL offense. Why hasn't Washington signed a veteran? | Philip Hughes | HTTR4LIFE LLC

When the Washington Commanders finalized their initial 53-man roster at the end of August, they kept three quarterbacks. At the time, the decision clearly reflected how much the team valued Athan Kaliakmanis as a developmental investment behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota. After seeing the team cut a few lower-round quarterbacks who were picked up elsewhere, I figured they were being careful. Now, that caution, mixed with the current situation where Jayden Daniels is injured and Mariota will start Sunday, puts Kaliakmanis in position to hit the field if the unthinkable happens.

That, of course, could change if the team decides to sign another quarterback this week or elevates Sam Hartman from the practice squad. Which I believe would be a mistake, as Hartman has shown no signs of being NFL-ready and Kaliakmanis is a 7th-round draft pick (223rd overall) with zero real-time experience. That said, Commanders GM Adam Peters expressed what he thought of the rookie at his Aug. 31 press conference. "Athan, we really just loved his arm talent, his moxie, his competitiveness," Peters said. "He made a lot of really big-time throws in the preseason, and that was something that we were really pleased to see. And he's not afraid to rip it." Peters also acknowledged in that same presser that Kaliakmanis still had plenty of room to develop, which doesn’t exactly sound like someone Washington expected Dan Quinn to be sending onto the field this early, but of course, actions speak louder than words, and still no news of any new quarterback being brought in has surfaced.

#Commanders QB Athan Kaliakmanis (The Greek Rifle) All-22 vs the Lions

• 11 for 14 passing (79%)
• 162 pass yds
• 114.9 RTG
• 92.4 PFF grade #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/j0tXnFAMNT

— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) August 23, 2026

Kaliakmanis' best football on film came against the Detroit Lions when he went 11-of-14 for 162 yards. It was impressive for a rookie in the preseason, even if it came against players fighting for the back end of NFL rosters. In all fairness, the rookie showed an ability to extend plays, a willingness to let it go and attack downfield, and I didn't see any pressure issues...he's got ice water in his veins; he also clearly has enough arm talent that Hartman should have no voice in this conversation. We had a Q&A session with the rookie before the season, and he's an impressive young man.

The main question here: is the player you kept for developmental purposes the guy you really want to stand behind your 32-year-old current starter, who missed most of the preseason with a knee injury? One thing is certain: Marcus Mariota will start this weekend, and that means the Commanders need to sort out the rest of their quarterback room soon.

The irony here, of course, is that Washington kept Kaliakmanis because it believed his upside was worth protecting. Three weeks into the season, the Commanders may already be finding out how valuable that protection can be.

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