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The Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens will not hold their planned joint NFL practice next week, with both teams citing scheduling conflicts and the strain of a short turnaround between games.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn explained that the decision came after conversations with Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
“Sometimes schedules just do not sync up,” Quinn said. “I visited with John last night, and we are bummed. We have a lot of respect for them and were looking forward to it, but we will see them a couple of days later.”
The teams are set to meet on Aug. 23 at FedEx Field in the preseason finale. The Ravens will be coming off a Saturday night game against the Dallas Cowboys, while Washington will host the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. That left only one practice day before the scheduled joint session.
The Ravens released a statement calling the cancellation a mutual decision.
“Recognizing the logistical challenges with our teams’ previous games scheduled on different days and the added strain on players heading into a short week, the Ravens and Commanders mutually agreed to no longer hold a joint practice next week. Instead, we will concentrate on preparing for our upcoming preseason matchup,” the team said.
Quinn confirmed the change will not affect playing time decisions for Washington’s starters in the final two preseason games. He added that the Commanders will use the time to continue situational work and internal competition, including their “Burgundy and Gold Game” at practice, which pits players and staff into two squads for spirited matchups.
Both teams still received some joint practice work earlier in camp. Washington faced the New England Patriots last week, while the Ravens practiced with the Indianapolis Colts. Those sessions offered valuable evaluations against unfamiliar opponents.
As regional rivals, the Commanders and Ravens often meet in the preseason. This summer’s matchup will give Washington one last tune-up before its regular season opener at home against the New York Giants on Sept. 7.
For Quinn, the change in plans is simply part of training camp’s unpredictability.
“These two days for us are a lot of fun because it is a break from the norm,” he said. “It is about competing, developing, and enjoying the work.”
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