The anticipation leading up to Friday night at Northwest Stadium was palpable. For Washington Commanders fans, the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins wasn’t just about knocking off the rust. It was the grand unveiling of the 2026 NFL Draft’s 7th overall pick, linebacker Sonny Styles.
While the Commanders ultimately walked away with a 20-7 victory, the real story of the night was the much-hyped rookie. And if we’re being completely honest? Styles did not have an ideal debut. But before anyone hovers their finger over the panic button, let’s talk about why his struggles are exactly what the coaching staff ordered.
Living in the “Gray”
Coming out of Ohio State, Styles was celebrated for his otherworldly athleticism — a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and a jaw-dropping 43.5-inch vertical jump made him a scout’s dream. But raw physical traits don’t automatically translate to instinctual NFL linebacker play, and Friday night exposed some of those growing pains.
Styles found himself a step behind on a few reads and looked hesitant as he navigated the chaos of the box. For a guy who was unexpectedly handed the green dot, meaning he was relaying the defensive play calls, in his very first NFL action, the game clearly looked a bit too fast for him at times.
But here’s the secret: The Commanders expected this.
Earlier in the week, defensive coordinator Daronte Jones made a fascinating comment about the rookie. Jones noted that Styles had historically been a very “black and white” player—a strict rule follower on the field. To succeed in Washington’s new defensive scheme, Jones emphasized that Styles needs to learn to “live in that gray.”
In fact, Jones explicitly stated that they want him to make mistakes right now. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn also stated something similar earlier, urging Styles to break the rules. They need him to stop overthinking, play free, and rely on his instincts, even if it leads to a blown assignment in August. Friday night was the first live-fire test of that philosophy, and the resulting mistakes were simply the cost of tuition.
“I want to push him to make a mistake. Go for it. Take the shot right here. I want to encourage him. He’s such a respectful, do-it-right [guy]. No, you can make that play and the other guys can’t. So you have permission to try it. Where are the spaces I can get to? If you can, all right. If not, we know it’s not the right call.” – Dan Quinn
Sonny Styles Still Had Flashes of Brilliance
Despite the rookie moments, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. If you looked past the hesitation, the foundational traits that made him a top-10 pick were impossible to ignore.
There was a specific rep where Styles ran up the seam, matching a tight end step-for-step in coverage—a play that flashed exactly why he was brought in to be a starter alongside veteran Frankie Luvu. The sideline-to-sideline speed is real. The coverage upside is tantalizing. He needs the mental processing speed to catch up to his physical foot speed.
On another play, he appeared to be more instinctive and made a read without sticking to the plan. As a result, he attacked the A-gap, shed the block from the guard before making the tackle on the running back.
Trusting the Process
Preseason football is a laboratory. It’s where rookies are supposed to test their boundaries, make mistakes, and recalibrate before the games actually count.
Sonny Styles did not have a highlight-reel debut. He looked like a rookie linebacker trying to process an NFL playbook while unlearning his instinct to be a rigid “rule follower.” But by getting those mistakes on tape against the Dolphins, Styles and the coaching staff now have the exact blueprint they need for the rest of training camp.
He didn’t have an ideal Friday night, but in the long run, it might just be the most valuable game he plays all year.
