The Washington Commanders close out their 2026 preseason schedule on Friday, August 28, traveling to M&T Bank Stadium to face the Baltimore Ravens at 6:00 p.m. The matchup serves as the final evaluation window for head coach Dan Quinn before NFL teams must trim their active rosters from 90 down to 53 players by Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Joint Practice Context and Roster Decisions
Washington enters the preseason finale following a joint practice session with the Ravens in Baltimore on Wednesday. According to Commanders Wire, the joint practice proved challenging for Washington, which played without three of its original starting offensive linemen. Head coach Dan Quinn deployed younger depth players who struggled against the Baltimore defense, highlighting ongoing concerns over depth at critical positions such as left tackle and center.
Friday’s contest will largely feature players on the roster bubble fighting for securing spots, as Yahoo Sports notes that most starters are unlikely to see significant playing time. Quarterback Jayden Daniels logged only a brief three-play series in the previous preseason outing featuring a single throwaway pass, and the team will be missing backup quarterback Marcus Mariota due to an MCL sprain sustained against the Miami Dolphins.
Quarterback Rotation and Special Teams Focus
With Mariota sidelined, rookie seventh-round draft pick Athan Kaliakmanis and quarterback Sam Hartman are expected to share snaps against Baltimore. Yahoo Sports reports that Kaliakmanis strengthened his case for the QB3 role following a strong performance against the Detroit Lions, while Hartman is also slated for substantial playing time.
Head coach Dan Quinn emphasized that special teams performance will dictate several final decisions for the initial 53-man roster. Bubble candidates such as undrafted rookie wide receiver Jaden Bradley, who has shown promise on offense, are being evaluated closely for their contributions in the kicking game alongside depth defensive backs and linebackers.
Broadcast, Streaming, and Game Details
Local fans in the Washington, D.C. market can watch the game on WUSA9, while a national broadcast is available on the NFL Network, according to Commanders Wire. The broadcast team features Dan Hellie on play-by-play, analysts John Riggins and Brian Mitchell, and sideline reporter Bryan Colbert Jr.
Streaming options include Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers, and NFL+ with an active subscription, as outlined by Yahoo Sports. Radio coverage is broadcast on Big 100 (iHeart Radio) with Bram Weinstein, London Fletcher, and Logan Paulsen, alongside a Spanish-language broadcast featuring Moisés Linares and Juan Romero. SiriusXM carries the Washington feed on channel 88 (Internet 831) and the Baltimore feed on channel 225 (Internet 802).
Betting markets listed by Yahoo Sports position the Ravens as 3.5-point favorites with a point total set at 33.5. Following Friday’s game, Washington opens its regular season on Sunday, September 13, against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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