A year ago, the Washington Commanders entered the offseason with perhaps the highest expectations the team has had in this century.
They had the goal of replicating and building on the success of a miracle run that had earned them a spot in the 2024 NFC Conference Championship. With the offseason looming, the franchise faces a far different set of circumstances and expectations after a disastrous follow-up.
The Damage
The Commanders’ roster proved one of the least talented in football this past season, with a severe injury wave exposing the lack of depth that was a leading cause in Washington’s 2-10 finish in their final 12 games. Hiding behind the injury excuse is not a viable path for Washington. Systemic issues with a roster would still have caused regression even with a completely healthy team.
The average age of the Commanders’ roster was the highest in football at 28.1 years old.
More than just a fun fact, that number showed in a big way on the field.
Watching the veterans perform was a tough task for the Commanders, as Bobby Wagner struggled to keep up with receivers in coverage. Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz suffered potential career-ending injuries in Week 2 and Week 14, respectively. Deebo Samuel was expected to be the number one receiver, but he could not crack 1,000 receiving yards. All these performances proved that General Manager Adam Peters’ vision and philosophy for the 2025 Commanders had failed.
Trading for Talent
Washington traded significant draft capital for veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore amidst the playoff push in 2024. They followed this up with similarly aggressive moves — trading for tackle Laremy Tunsil and adding Samuel in the 2025 offseason. Washington is expected to release Lattimore in the coming days.
Samuel will be a free agent and is not expected to return to the nation’s capital. While the Tunsil trade has proven fruitful, it left the Commanders with just two selections in the first three rounds of the 2026 Draft.
Making these moves produced the failed all-in bid that left Washington with tons of roster questions. Outside of the offensive line and quarterback, there isn’t any other position group that has a solid outlook for next season. Peters has $94 million in cap space and six selections in the upcoming draft to begin to make the uphill climb back to contention.
The Way Forward For The Offense
The Commanders cannot triple down on their previous philosophy. No number of veterans on one-year deals will plug all of the holes that the last round of them left behind. Outside of backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, who put up valiant efforts in Jayden Daniels‘ place, Washington should have no interest in bringing back their free agents at market price.
This includes Samuel, who did produce fairly reliably this past season. However, that production is not worth the $15-$20 million per year that he’ll demand on the market. Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane are nothing more than developmental dart throws who have shown limited flashes and are not viable options compared to All-Pro Terry McLaurin.
Washington has good options to sign at receiver through free agency. Alec Pierce is the player every fanbase wants to sign because his skill set is universal. His deep threat abilities bring the exciting prospect of adding more verticality to an offense that has almost entirely relied on McLaurin for this decade.
Daniels has hinted he hopes for the Commanders to bring in Brandon Aiyuk, the disgruntled 49ers receiver who once was one of the more exciting young star receivers in football. Injuries and non-football issues plagued Aiyuk in his final days in San Francisco. It may be wishful thinking to expect that not to come into account in a prospective stint for the Commanders.
Regardless, the offense and the defense have the same issue: they just need more difference.
They have three rostered players considered some of the best at their respective positions: Jayden Daniels at quarterback, McLaurin at receiver, and Tunsil at tackle.
It’s not like the offense needs a huge overhaul — they made the conference championship without a truly talented group of weapons. But the same cannot be said about the defense.
The Way Forward For The Defense
Position to position, Washington’s defense simply needs talent across the board. Two free agents stick out as vital talent upgrades. Devin Lloyd had a career year for the upstart Jaguars this past season. Washington desperately needs a refresh at the linebacker position, previously manned by Wagner.
Trey Hendrickson has undergone a contract saga with the Bengals, and he is an option if he hits the market. Hendrickson represents the pass-rushing juice Washington has missed since it traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young within a week of each other in 2023. A good pass rush is crucial to an elite defense, and signing Hendrickson would be a major step towards that.
In the draft, the approach doesn’t have to be complicated: pick good football players.
It sounds simple, but it’s easy to get lost in the measurables and minutiae when picking so high. Two players may be available when Washington is on the clock that represent this.
Caleb Downs is the best safety prospect since Kyle Hamilton and arguably the best player in the draft. The safety position is not traditionally targeted at seven, but Downs’ quality as a prospect may transcend that. His mastery of the position and ability to move down to the box are rarely seen and outweigh any concerns about his physical ceiling.
Rueben Bain Jr., an edge rusher out of Miami, is a 275-pound wrecking ball who dominated his final season. His combination of a lightning-fast first step and powerful hands devastated linemen in college. The concern with Bain is his arm length and his lack of a known position. His short arms and higher weight may convince some teams to kick him inside. Regardless, he is another way Washington can acquire that juice they so desperately need.
The Bottom Line
It’s been a free fall from the top. Peters and company must find a way to strike gold in the same way his 2024 squad did.
If not, discussions will need to be had about the leadership of the team.
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