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Commanders player on roster bubble with most at stake in 2026 NFL preseason finale
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- Commanders player on roster bubble with most at stake in 2026 NFL preseason finale
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The Washington Commanders have issues to clean up before Week 1. But first, they must solve the 53-man roster dilemma . And here is the Commanders player on the roster bubble with the most at stake in the 2026 NFL preseason finale.
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The Commanders will battle the Ravens on Friday at 6 p.m. It will be a chance for quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to prove he deserves a chance to stick around in 2026.
A seventh-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, Kaliakmanis has shown good signs during the preseason. But has it been enough for Dan Quinn and the Commanders to keep him around?
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Does Commanders QB Athan Kaliakmanis have what it takes?
The battle is for the QB3 spot on the Commanders' roster. In Kaliakmanis' way is Sam Hartman . It's a spot Kaliakmanis should be able to grab, thanks in part to a passer rating of 104.3 in his two preseason games.
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The rookie said he's trying to state his case , according to commanders.com.
"Just constantly getting better, striving towards perfection, even though it's not attainable," Kaliakmanis said. "I think it just goes into your preparation. Having confidence in your preparation, knowing that I don't need to be a superhero today. I just need to trust the game plan. I need to trust my teammates and go out there and execute."
Against the Lions, completed 11 of his 14 passes for 162 yards and didn't take a sack.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Kaliakmanis has looked good under pressure.
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"I was pleased to see him in the chaos," Quinn said after the Dolphins game, where Kaliakmanis went 6 of 10 for 87 yards and got sacked twice. "He felt calm in the space tonight. I'll be looking forward to watching him. I thought you'd see his arm strength come out a little bit, and it did, on some of the play-action passes."
Kaliakmanis said he's already growing a connection with the receivers.
"I just trust my receivers," Kaliakmanis said. "I've always been that type of player. I've been the type of player to throw it up and give my guys a shot. So, that's what I did, and he made an incredible play. Great play by Nash, and I appreciate him for that."
However, despite the positives from Kaliakmanis and the negatives from Hartman — notably lack of arm strength — the battle for the third spot hasn't been decided.
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"They're battling for it," Quinn said. "There will be a bunch of things we're gonna want to look at to keep digging in. The other game coming up is so important for them. Managing the clock, working it all, being in tough scenarios, feeling the rush that they don't do that in practice. So, the next practice, the next game, will be super valuable for the both of them."
However, there's information working against Hartman. Included is his potential lack of fit with offensive coordinator David Blough 's scheme, according to roundtable.io.
"David Blough's offense is built on play-action, RPOs, and rollouts that require a quarterback who can plant and drive the ball downfield from unconventional platforms," Roundtable wrote. "Kaliakmanis looks more comfortable after two preseason games than Hartman has in three years of being in the building. "
Certainly, Kaliakmanis wants the opportunity to stick with the Commanders, according to wjla.com.
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"Oh my gosh, it would mean everything," Kaliakmanis said. "That's what you dream about as a kid, but right now it's not thinking about the future. It's staying right where my feet are, being present in the moment and just doing everything I possibly can to incrementally grow."
Related: NFL rumors: Commanders had Tyler Linderbaum 'handshake agreement' before Raiders swooped in
