Commanders News: Falcons Poach Washington Defender; Quinn Opens Door to O-Line Changes

the burgundy roundup — The Falcons take another player from Washington's practice squad, while Dan Quinn leaves the door open for changes along the offensive line following the bye week. Plus, the latest Commanders news and podcasts. | HTTR4LIFE LLC

Washington had another player snatched off their practice squad when the Atlanta Falcons signed defensive end Charles Snowden to their active roster on Wednesday. The Commanders added him to the practice squad on September 29.

- Snowden has 4.5 career sacks in 33 NFL games, including 18 starts, and now joins the list of players Washington has lost, including running backs Robert Henry Jr. and Kaytron Allen, although it should be noted that the Commanders released Allen before the Miami Dolphins signed him on waivers, and they planned to sign him to the practice squad if he cleared waivers.

- Commanders receiver and return specialist Jaylin Lane has undergone surgery to repair the fractured and dislocated ankle he suffered against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. According to The Washington Post's Tashan Reed, Lane is expected to be ready before offseason workouts begin next spring. Lane was placed on injured reserve October 5, and while his season is over, the outlook for his return next year appears encouraging.

- While most people already knew it, Dan Quinn finally openly acknowledged on Tuesday that the offensive line has not played up to snuff. Quinn also didn't rule out changes on the line when asked whether ongoing mistakes and penalties could lead to different personnel. It's worth keeping an eye on, as the staff has the break to evaluate what changes could give them the best lineup heading into the Eagles game after the bye.

Commanders News From the Day

With Terry McLaurin Out, Washington Must Change How It Uses Antonio Williams

With Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin out for the rest of the season after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee, the team is faced with the task of replacing the face of the franchise. The good news is the roster is in a position to fill his role with several players, but one stands out as the guy they need to use most: Antonio Williams.

From The Insiders on @nflnetwork: #Commanders coach Dan Quinn bought more time to turn the season around thanks to his team’s play in San Francisco. But some wins do have to come. pic.twitter.com/R4f9BIHesg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 21, 2026

Commanders Quietly Added Former NFL Head Coach to Help Struggling Defense

According to NFL Insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport, the Washington Commanders hired Steve Wilks to help the defensive staff ahead of the game against the 49ers. The decision to hire Wilks was made back in September, but he didn't start working with the team until last week. Wilks will assist with game planning and will work under Quinn and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones; he will not be with the team on game days.

'A real brother': Tunsil provides invaluable mentorship to Commanders O-Line

"I think it's been a blessing," Josh Conerly said. "And it means a lot to us, as a group and for me personally."

Tunsil might not be able to help the Commanders protect Jayden Daniels on game days, but the veteran is still finding ways to contribute while receiving treatment for his injury. He has been offering advice to the rest of the offensive linemen in the room and providing guidance on how they can improve their skill set. To the Commanders, it is more evidence of Tunsil's leadership and how it has elevated the roster.

What if we combine the first-1.0s downhill distance on run plays (percentile) and bite distance (percentile) to see who reacts most to the run without over-biting on play action?

Notable, I think, that Sonny Styles is fifth here. pic.twitter.com/DKfuMqiKg3
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) October 20, 2026

Washington Commanders Whiteboard: Notes and observations from Week 6

Stefon Diggs dropped a pass for a first down to end Washington’s opening drive. The team would opt for a Drew Stevens’ field goal instead. Diggs also had two drops early in the Philadelphia game back in Week 1, and all have contributed to stalling out a Commanders offense that has struggled to get going early in games. On the season, Diggs has 4 drops total, with 24 receptions on 38 targets for a 63% catch rate. While he has been a valuable addition to the wide receiver corps, these types of mental lapses have hurt the offense. Over the entirety of last year, Stefon had three drops and a catch rate of 83.3% during the regular season as a New England Patriot. Terry McLaurin is second on the team with three drops despite only playing 61% of the total offensive snaps this season.

Commanders Power Rankings Take an Unexpected Turn After 49ers Loss

The Washington Commanders entered their bye week at 1-4-1 after another frustrating loss, this time against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.

Commanders-49ers Stats & Snaps

A list of stats and notes from the Washington Commanders' 23-17 loss against the San Francisco 49ers presented by EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, as compiled by Washington Commanders Public Relations.

Podcasts

Second thoughts... On Terry McLaurin, Jayden Daniels, the OL, Antonio Williams and more - John Keim Report

John gives his second thoughts following the Commanders Monday Night Football loss in San Francisco. He discussed the injury to Terry McLaurin, Jayden Daniels need for a young receiver, offensive line issues, defensive development, and more!

Episode 1,436 - All the best to Terry McLaurin. But has he played his last game for Washington?

Dan Quinn teases changes, expresses displeasure with offensive line and more

Deep dive on Jayden Daniels' performance at SF

Analysis of playing-time %s at SFhttps://t.co/esZAqnQ4zX
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) October 21, 2026

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