Feb. 1, 2026, 5:40 a.m. ET

The Washington Commanders have been busy reshuffling their coaching staff since the season ended last month. The Commanders will have two new coordinators and multiple new assistants on staff next season, Dan Quinn’s third in Washington.

While Quinn is spending the majority of his time making staff changes, general manager Adam Peters is looking ahead to free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. This week, Peters was in Mobile, Alabama, for the 2026 Senior Bowl.

The Commanders have plenty of money to spend when free agency opens next month. They won’t be able to fill all of their needs in free agency, but fortunately, some of Washington’s most significant needs line up with the strengths of the 2026 draft class.

In his first list of the top 50 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, NFL.com draft expert Daniel Jeremiah had eight edge rushers and 11 wide receivers. Landing an edge rusher is Washington’s most significant need, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Commanders sign one in free agency and add one high in the draft. Picking seventh overall, Washington could see one of the three top pass rushers fall to them: Arvell Reese (Ohio State), David Bailey (Texas Tech) and Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami). Bain and Bailey are mentioned frequently in connection with the Commanders in mock drafts.

Jeremiah’s podcast partner on “Moving the Sticks,” Bucky Brooks, recently named the wide receiver position as the deepest in April’s draft.

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The proliferation of spread offenses and dynamic passing games at the lower levels has helped produce an impressive collection of pass-catchers in the 2026 class. Teams seeking blue-chip playmakers will debate whether Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) or Makai Lemon (USC) should be the WR1 of the group. Zachariah Branch (Georgia), KC Concepcion (Texas A&M), Denzel Boston (Washington) and Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee) might not be considered top-10 picks, but they are likely to come off the board in the first round.

Toss in possible fringe Day 1 prospects Chris Bell (Louisville) and Elijah Sarratt (Indiana), and it’s clear that the 2026 class is loaded with pass-catchers and playmakers boasting immediate-impact potential.

It would be surprising if the Commanders picked an offensive player in the top 10. However, their need for another top wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin is real. Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon would be options in the top 10. If Washington traded back to add more selections, Peters could go in a number of directions. So much of the Commanders’ direction will be determined by what happens in free agency.