The Washington Commanders have arrived in Madrid, Spain, to take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 11 of the NFL season, and they do so with plenty on the line and even more changes happening around the team.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels didn’t travel with the team so he could stay back and focus on his rehab from the dislocated left elbow he suffered two weeks ago. Additionally, defensive tackle Daron Payne is suspended, and head coach Dan Quinn is now pulling double-duty as the Commanders’ defensive coordinator after demoting coach Joe Whitt Jr.
If that wasn’t enough to put pressure on Washington, which is very much intending on competing as much as possible down the back half of the year, it currently sits nearly at the top of the NFL Draft and well off the pace for any kind of postseason aspirations.
Instead, most folks talking about the team these days are focused on their new player aspirations, including NFL.com’s Chad Reuter, who says, “During their five-game losing streak, the Commanders have produced just seven total sacks — zero in Sunday’s loss to the Lions — which is tied for the fifth fewest since Week 6. They need to bring in a young difference-maker off the edge.”
During their five-game losing streak, the Commanders have produced just seven total sacks — zero in Sunday’s loss to the Lions — which is tied for the fifth fewest since Week 6. They need to bring in a young difference-maker off the edge.
Currently, the top three edge defenders on the Pro Football Focus 2026 NFL Draft Big Board are Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami (FL), T.J. Parker from Clemson, and Keldrick Faulk out of Auburn. Faulk is the site’s 14th-ranked prospect overall, while Bain is No. 1, meaning that no matter where the Commanders pick based on current trends, one of the three should be available.
Bain is listed at 6’3 and has a season grade of 93.9 so far in his junior season of collegiate ball. After him, however, the grades drop, with Parker’s season mark sitting at 79.7 and Faulk at 74.1.
With Washington unlikely to do so poorly, it qualifies for the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. This means the potential of trading up to try and get the best guy on its board, or taking a lesser but still good prospect later on in the first round.
Reuter also identified receiver, cornerback, linebacker, and interior offensive line as needs for the Commanders moving into 2026.
Green Bay, Wisconsin — After another intense showdown that left the Packers frustrated and the referee crew under fire, Micah Parsons stood before the cameras in his locker-room gear and didn’t hold back. He had been simmering for weeks, but this time, his words cut sharp and clear: he accused the officiating of more than just mistakes. He called it bias. He called it unfair. He called it a betrayal of the sport.
Parsons’ exact words sent shockwaves:
“Let’s stop pretending this is football when one side gets the calls and the other side gets the doubts. We deserve a fair game.”
Parsons isn’t just another player complaining about refs. He’s one of the most dominant defensive forces in the NFL, and he’s new to Green Bay — traded from the Dallas Cowboys in a blockbuster deal earlier this year.
Sources inside the Packers’ locker room say Parsons’ remarks didn’t surprise his teammates — they’d heard the grumbling, saw the missed calls live, and felt the momentum shift. One veteran said, “We all know when we’re getting the short end. When our best player says it out loud — the rest of us listen.”
In the recent road game in Philadelphia, the Packers lost by a narrow margin. But what stung more than the loss was a sequence of plays late in the game:
A defensive stop that was reversed because of a penalty flag many felt didn’t make sense.
A running play that seemed to push the pocket, no call.
A fourth-quarter drive for the Packers that stalled after a holding call against Green Bay, which looked weak even on replay.
The NFL has faced officiating controversies for decades. But a high-profile player like Parsons going public adds weight. Analysts suggest that if enough credible voices speak, the league may feel pressure to review calls, adjust training, or increase transparency.
Parsons’ 11-word line — which he paused to let sink in — continues to echo:
“We deserve better than this. A fair game for every team.”
Those words are replayed on highlight reels, in fan posts, and inside sports radio studios across the country.