The Washington Commanders played their first preseason game of 2026 on Friday when they hosted the Miami Dolphins at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. It was a difficult start, with Miami driving down the field and scoring a touchdown on their first drive, but those were the only points the Dolphins put on the board, and the Commanders came away with a 20-7 victory.
The Commanders’ defense was a highlight in this game, allowing the Dolphins just 226 total yards of offense and nabbing three interceptions. Sonny Styles wasn’t the highlight of the game, although he did record three tackles. Instead, the defensive highlight was watching safety Quan Martin’s improvement. After the game, he spoke with the media.
Commanders safety Quan Martin, who had an interception tonight: “I think the joint practice really set the standard for where we see this team going.” pic.twitter.com/u0gr8cYCnn
— Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_Cadeaux) August 15, 2026
“I think the joint practice really just set the standard for where we see this team going,” Quan said about building momentum as a defense. “This defense is going. Just saying that’s the floor for us. Just keep stacking days, man, just getting better every opportunity.”
His comments mirror what we’ve heard other defensive players say about their group this year. They’re a violent defense, and they’re only going to get better from here.
In 2025, Martin struggled mightily on a defense that struggled as a whole. He was called for penalties, he missed assignments, and generally did not play well. Against the Dolphins, Martin recorded two tackles and an interception. This time, his interception wasn’t called back. While speaking with the media, he was asked about having an interception that counted.
“Yeah, no, it was good, man. Just to not have a penalty on that one. I think last year I had a few of them, and they all got called back. So it was good just to have one that counts.”
Martin desperately needs a strong season after a rough 2025 campaign. He not only nabbed the interception, but was impressive in his limited opportunities against the run and found himself near the ball often. That’s exactly what the Commanders need from him this season. He’s currently in a battle with Jeremy Reaves and Will Harris to be Washington’s starting free safety. Friday’s performance certainly helped Martin.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' Quan Martin encouraged after strong preseason performance