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Washington Commanders News & Rumors

Commanders Designate S Will Harris For Return; Latest On Terry McLaurin

November 12th, 2025 at 10:08am CST by Connor Byrne

The Commanders have gone without safety Will Harris for most of 2025, an injury-ravaged season for the team. Harris is closing in on a return, though, as the Commanders opened his practice window on Wednesday. They’ll have 21 days to activate him from IR.

A former Lion and Saint, Harris signed a two-year, $8MM deal with the Commanders as a free agent last March. He started in Washington’s first three games and made 11 tackles before suffering a broken fibula in a Week 3 win over the Raiders. The Commanders were 2-1 at the time, but they’ve since fallen to 3-7 and drifted out of the NFC playoff race.

After Harris went down, the Commanders quickly added the experienced Darnell Savage to their secondary. Savage entered Washington with 82 career starts, and that number hasn’t changed. He has worked as a backup and played just under 22% of defensive snaps in seven games with the Commanders.

With Savage in a reserve role, Jeremy Reaves has gotten the lion’s share of playing time at safety alongside Quan Martin. Reaves is better known as a special teams contributor, but he has made six starts in 10 games and totaled 56 tackles and three passes defensed. Pro Football Focus ranks his performance a decent 41st among 91 qualifying safeties.

While it appears the Commanders’ defense will welcome Harris back in the coming weeks, wide receiver Terry McLaurin could rejoin their offense soon. McLaurin, who’s dealing with a quad injury, will not play when the Commanders face the Dolphins in Madrid on Sunday. However, head coach Dan Quinn said McLaurin will begin on-field rehab work this week (via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk).

Washington has a bye in Week 12, but McLaurin may be ready after that. After posting his fourth straight 17-game, 1,000-yard season and scoring a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2024, the two-time Pro Bowler has played in just four contests this year. That partially explains Washington’s precipitous drop in the standings after a 12-5 finish and a conference title game berth last season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/25

November 11th, 2025 at 8:45pm CST by Connor Byrne

Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL…

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The NFL issued Williams a six-game ban without pay for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Williams will be eligible for reinstatement after Week 16. The undrafted rookie from LSU has picked up four carries for 11 yards in three games this year. 

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/11/25

November 11th, 2025 at 7:35pm CST by Connor Byrne

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers 

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Released: LS Peter Bowden

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Panthers waived White from their practice squad on Nov. 8, but the team quickly brought the veteran signal-caller back. White will continue to provide experienced depth behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton. He served as the Panthers’ emergency third QB in their Week 9 win over the Packers.

Commanders Sign DE DeMarcus Walker

November 11th, 2025 at 11:54am CST by Adam La Rose

DeMarcus Walker has lined up his next NFL gig. The veteran defensive end has signed with the Commanders, per an announcement from his agency.

Walker was cut by the Bears prior to free agency, ending his tenure in the Windy City after two years there. Little interest was shown afterwards, although the Giants and Lions hosted him for visits in April. Neither of those teams moved forward with a deal, however, and Walker remained on the open market deep into the regular season. His 2025 debut could come on Sunday.

This is a practice squad deal, ESPN’s John Keim notes to no surprise. Walker is present with the Commanders in Madrid, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic adds. Washington will take on Miami in the NFL’s first game played in Spain for Week 11. Walker’s presence with his new team means he could be designated as a gameday elevation from the practice squad for that contest.

The 31-year-old has made 100 career appearances across his time with the Broncos, Texans, Titans and Bears. His one-and-done Tennessee campaign saw Walker set a career high with seven sacks. He took on a much larger workload in Chicago, operating as a starter and collecting 3.5 sacks in both of his Bears campaigns. Walker will now look to carve out a depth role with the Commanders to close out the campaign.

Washington is dealing with a number of injuries on both sides of the ball, and veteran depth at any spot will be welcomed. The 3-7 team sits near the bottom of the league in a number of defensive categories and DC Joe Whitt Jr. will no longer call plays. The Commanders do rank mid-pack in terms of sack production (22), but improving in that department would still be welcomed during the second half of the season.

Walker’s 2026 market value will of course be determined by his performances over the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see how large of a workload he handles with Washington down the stretch and whether or not he does enough to warrant a new pact along a quicker timeline next year.

Commanders CB Trey Amos Could Miss Remainder Of Season

November 11th, 2025 at 9:42am CST by Adam La Rose

The list of major injuries continues to pile up in the case of the Commanders. Rookie cornerback Trey Amos could miss the remainder of the campaign.

Amos exited Washington’s Week 10 game, and head coach Dan Quinn announced (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports) he suffered a broken fibula. The second-rounder is in store for a lengthy absence as a result, and he could very well miss the closing weeks of his debut NFL campaign. At a minimum, a move to injured reserve should be expected.

[RELATED: Quinn Takes Over As Defensive Play-Caller]

An IR stint would guarantee at least a four-week absence for Amos, who has logged eight starts this year. No timeline is in place for the 23-year-old, although Quinn confirmed to no surprise (via the Washington Post’s Vic Tafur) Amos will be sidelined “for a while.” This news comes not long after fellow cornerback starter Marshon Lattimore suffered an ACL tear.

Upgrading the secondary was seen as a priority for the Commanders this past offseason. Lattimore – acquired via trade at last year’s deadline – served as a full-time starter in 2025 and he will be counted on to do so once healthy next season. The same will be true of Amos, who has logged a 78% snap share and notched six pass deflections so far. The Louisiana, Alabama and Ole Miss product will turn his attention to recovery and with Washington out of postseason contention his next action could be delayed until 2026.

In other Commanders injury news, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports wideout Treylon Burks underwent finger surgery on Monday. His recovery period is not expected to be a long one, but the former Titans first-rounder is not traveling with the team to Madrid for its Week 11 game. Burks, who was added not long after his injury-plagued Tennessee tenure came to an end, will look to heal in time for Week 13 when the Commanders return from their bye.

Dan Quinn To Take Over Commanders’ Defensive Play-Calling Role

November 10th, 2025 at 10:57pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn will take over as the team’s defensive play-caller, he announced on Monday (via Tashan Reed of The Washington Post).

Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., who served under Quinn in Atlanta and Dallas, will retain his position, but his unit has struggled mightily so far this year. Washington ranks 29th in points allowed and 30th in total defense after finishing 18th and 13th in the same categories last year. The Commanders’ pass defense has been especially porous, allowing 7.9 yards per attempt and just over 260 yards per game.

The unit is largely the same, save for two key departures along the defensive line: DT Jonathan Allen and DE Dante Fowler. Their replacements, Javon Kinlaw and Von Miller, simply haven’t been as effective.

However, that may not tell the whole story. No Commanders defensive back with any kind of regular role on defense has a coverage grade over 65.0, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). While PFF grades are not a be-all, end-all of player evaluation, they still offers a glimpse at the team’s current disarray on the back end. Veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore is the only member of the secondary that has allowed a passer rating under 100.0 when targeted, and that does not account for the nine penalties called against him.

Quinn will look to right the ship. He has extensive experience as a play-caller, not only from his defensive coordinator jobs in Seattle and Dallas, but from his first head-coaching job with the Falcons. Quinn took over defensive play-calling on two separate instances during his tenure in Atlanta, though neither time featured a full turnaround.

The first was in 2016 when Quinn took over from then-Falcons DC Richard Smith, and even slight improvements on defense were enough to support the league’s best offense on the way to the Super Bowl. The second came in 2019, when Quinn turned a bottom-five unit into a more respectable one. He was fired in 2020 after an 0-5 start during which the Falcons defense allowed 32.2 points and 446 yards per game.

Obviously, he will be hoping for a more inspired bounce-back this year, but it seems unlikely that he can do enough to drag the team into the playoffs. A tough schedule and multiple injuries to quarterback Jayden Daniels has led to a 3-7 start, and things won’t be any easier going forward. Daniels has an uncertain return timeline after his most recent injury, and the Commanders still have two games against the Eagles and another against the Broncos left on the calendar.

Quinn’s decision is a sign that Whitt could be out of Washington this offseason. A midseason firing would have been a surprise given the two men’s history, but Quinn did part ways with Smith after the 2016 season concluded.

Commanders DT Daron Payne Issued One-Game Suspension

November 10th, 2025 at 5:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

5:47pm: Hearing officer Ramon Foster has upheld Payne’s suspension, according to NFL senior VP of football and international communications Michael Signora. Payne will not play in Week 11.

4:30pm: Payne will appeal his suspension, per ESPN’s John Keim. If he does not win the appeal, he will not be able to travel with the Commanders for their upcoming matchup in Madrid.

8:40am: During Sunday’s blowout loss, the Commanders experienced a lapse in discipline on a number of occasions. That included Daron Payne punching Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown after a play.

Payne was ejected as a result, and further discipline has now been issued. The veteran defensive tackle has been issued a one-game suspension, as noted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Payne will miss Washington’s Week 11 game against the Dolphins (pending a successful appeal) as a result.

The Commanders have dealt with a number of injuries on both sides of the ball during their ongoing five-game losing streak. Losing Payne will represent another blow on defense, as the eighth-year contributor has remained a full-time starter in 2025. Payne has spent his entire career in the nation’s capital, and he missed only one game during his first seven years in the NFL.

Due to this suspension – which, to no surprise falls under the unsportsmanlike conduct category – however, the 28-year-old will not be in place when the Commanders take on the Dolphins in Madrid. Washington’s bye will follow that contest, so Payne will not be in the lineup again until Week 13. A Commanders team which has lost each of its last four games by double digits will be thin along the defensive front until then.

Payne was retained in 2023 via the franchise tag before becoming one of several defensive tackles to sign a lucrative new deal. The former first-rounder is under contract through 2026 and he will be expected to remain a key figure during that campaign along with the closing stages of the current one when he returns. Payne earned his lone Pro Bowl nod in 2022 when he recorded 11.5 sacks. The Alabama product followed that up with back-to-back seasons of four sacks.

So far in 2025, Payne has only notched one sack but he is also responsible for a safety forced by Washington’s defense and has recorded five pass deflections. That production will be absent for one contest when the Commanders look to rebound on the scoreboard but also in terms of disciplined play.

Von Miller Hopes To Play In 2026

November 9th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

Von Miller took a one-year pact to play for the Commanders in 2025. If the future Hall of Famer has his way, he will continue his career for at least one more season.

“Hopefully I can still be here with the Washington Commanders,” Miller said during an episode of his new Free Range podcast (via The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala). “If I’m able to be in an environment like this with the coaching staff, like [Dan Quinn]… I can definitely play next year.”

Miller’s Broncos tenure ended when he was traded to the Rams in 2021. After winning his second Super Bowl, the final chapter of his career seemed to be in place with a six-year, $120MM Bills contract. Miller enjoyed a strong debut campaign in Buffalo (eight sacks in 11 games), but an ACL tear brought that season to an end. He was unable to live up to expectations upon returning to action.

In a move which came as little surprise, Miller was released this past offseason. Free agent interest was shown by a small number of suitors before a pact was worked out with Washington. The 36-year-old is attached to a $6.1MM contract with nearly $5MM guaranteed. Miller has played in each of the Commanders’ nine games this season, collecting four sacks while handling a 35% snap share.

A return to Buffalo via trade became something to watch for at the trade deadline, but no swap was worked out. The Commanders did not wind up operating as sellers despite their record. That will allow Miller to finish the campaign in the nation’s capital. His performances over the closing stages will be key establishing his market value.

It will be interesting to see if a mutual interest arises this spring in terms of Miller and the Commanders maintaining their relationship through 2026. Failing that, retirement will be delayed at least one more year provided another deal can be lined up.

2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

November 8th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 26 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations at that point.

Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 11:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Buffalo Bills

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Carolina Panthers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Cincinnati Bengals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Cleveland Browns

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Denver Broncos

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Detroit Lions

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Houston Texans

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Activations remaining: 7

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Los Angeles Chargers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Los Angeles Rams

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

New England Patriots

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

San Francisco 49ers

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Seattle Seahawks

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Tennessee Titans

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Washington Commanders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/25

November 8th, 2025 at 5:55pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Several teams around the NFL made tweaks to their rosters on Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s slate of games. Here are all the latest moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Week 10 will mark the debut for both players the Chargers gave the IR-designated for return label during roster cutdowns in August. Their activations had already been accounted for, but Hand’s had not. With those three now back in the fold, the Bolts have three IR activations remaining on the season.

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