Dan Quinn Says ‘Good Amount’ of Washington's Starters Will Play vs. Lions — Commanders Daily

Dan Quinn says many of the Commanders who sat out the preseason opener will see action against Detroit, while Washington’s crowded receiver competition gets another important audition.

Ashburn, VA, USA: Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn speaks with the media at the BigBear.ai Performance Center at Commanders Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Head coach Dan Quinn announced that Washington Commanders starters will play in the preseason game against Detroit, though Jayden Daniels' status remains uncertain. | Philip Hughes | HTTR4LIFE LLC

Many of the players who sat out the preseason opener will get work against Detroit, according to Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. The Commanders held 26 players out of the first game against Miami, making Saturday a much better chance to evaluate some of the roster's more well-known pieces.

Quinn used a portion of his presser on Thursday to address the situation: "A lot of the guys who sat out for Miami will get an opportunity to get some work for this week," he said. "All obviously different amounts." That sounds like a very different mindset coming from Quinn this week.

While Quinn has discussed different players participating, he has stopped short of naming quarterback Jayden Daniels in the conversation. Quinn has said the Daniels decision will be handled separately and will depend on the condition of those around him, especially the banged-up offensive line. Even if Daniels does not play, the Lions game will give a better look at some of the projected starters.

Saturday will be the biggest step the team has taken toward the regular season. Snaps may vary from player to player, but overall, Quinn has made clear that Saturday will look very different than last Friday night in terms of who actually takes the field.

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Commanders Receiver Competition Gets Another Audition

One group Quinn mentioned specifically: the receivers. That group remains healthy and deep behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, which makes the evaluation process both easier to do and harder to figure out the end with the amount of competition. Quinn specifically mentioned two receivers who caught his attention against Miami.

"I liked what I saw with some of the receivers from the opening game. Lane was somebody that, in the first game, I thought had some nice catches, some nice movements. Same with Van." While Lane and Jefferson are at different spots in their careers, both are trying to give Washington reasons to keep them involved in a receiver room where there are more viable options than available roles. Saturday will give the staff more chances to evaluate every aspect, not only catching, but also route execution, blocking, play on special teams, and how each receiver fits with different personnel packages, including different quarterbacks.

With only two games remaining in the preseason, the competition is currently at its maximum level with this group, making the Detroit game the best chance for Washington's receivers to move from promising camp work into something that can actually change where they stand on the depth chart.

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