Jan. 13, 2026, 4:18 a.m. ET

The Washington Commanders have many holes to fill once free agency begins in March. Washington needs multiple defensive starters, including an edge rusher, middle linebacker and at least two starters in the secondary — maybe more.

The Commanders have fewer holes on offense, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need help. Fortunately, Washington will have a healthy Jayden Daniels back, Terry McLaurin and one of the NFC’s better offensive lines. The Commanders do need another starting receiver who can stretch the field and a tight end to replace Zach Ertz.

But what about a running back? The Commanders only have Jacory Croskey-Merritt under contract next season. Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a restricted free agent, while Jeremy McNichols and Austin Ekeler are unrestricted free agents. Ekeler will not be back. While the Commanders missed him badly once he was injured last season, age and injuries work against him.

Rodriguez should be back, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if McNichols is back. He does everything well, plays on special teams, and is a positive locker-room presence.

The Commanders will add a running back this offseason. Will it be via the 2026 NFL Draft or in free agency? Fortunately, there are multiple talented backs expected to hit free agency in March, led by Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker and Rico Dowdle. Could Washington target one of these backs instead of drafting another one?

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Aaron Schatz of ESPN recently previewed the upcoming offseason and made a big prediction for Washington. He thinks the Commanders’ “splash move” will be signing Hall.

Big prediction for the offseason: The Commanders will make a big splash by signing running back Breece Hall, a talented rusher and receiver who will be just 25 years old next season. Rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt didn’t end up taking the league by storm, and Chris Rodriguez Jr. wasn’t spectacular either. Washington finished 21st in run offense DVOA through Week 17 this season.

Hall would be a phenomenal signing. The problem is that he could be costly. Still only 24 years old, Hall is the type of dual-threat back Washington missed when Ekeler went down last season. While we don’t fully know what type of offense new coordinator David Blough will run, it will likely look like what Ben Johnson ran in Detroit and now in Chicago, with some Kliff Kingsbury stuff mixed in.

If the Commanders do run a similar scheme and Hall signs, he could have a career year, both running the ball and catching it. Washington seems to want to employ more wide-zone concepts, like what we see in San Francisco. Could you imagine that type of offense with Jayden Daniels under center and the combination of Hall and Croskey-Merritt behind him?

Washington and Hall would be a fun pairing.