Feb. 14, 2026, 7:04 a.m. ET

The Washington Commanders parted ways with both coordinators after the season for different reasons. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury departed due to philosophical concerns. In 2024, Kingsbury’s offense was one of the NFL’s best, but it struggled in 2025 due to injuries.

However, while Washington’s offense took a step back, the defense took several steps back. And here’s the thing, the Commanders‘ defense wasn’t good in 2024. In 2025, it was abysmal. They couldn’t tackle, rush the passer, stop the run, or limit big plays. It was a mess, and head coach Dan Quinn took over defensive play-calling from defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. ahead of Week 11.

The Commanders promoted David Blough to replace Kingsbury and hired Daronte Jones to replace Whitt. The offense has some excellent building blocks, led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Terry McLaurin and an ascending offensive line led by left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

There are fewer building blocks for the defense, which puts the onus on GM Adam Peters to significantly improve the talent on that side of the ball to aid Jones.

ESPN recently looked at the biggest question facing all 32 NFL teams this offseason. John Keim focused on the Commanders’ defense.

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Can the Commanders build a strong defense?

The Commanders started the defensive rebuild process by hiring Daronte Jones at coordinator, but they need a talent boost as well. Over the past two seasons, Washington was a combined 24th in scoring defense (24.8 PPG) and 28th in yards allowed per game (355.6). They’re top six in available cap space and have the No. 7 pick, so they have premier spots to add talent. The Commanders need an impact player or two; they need youth along the front, as only one rotational player was under 25 this season. A strong defense with a healthy Jayden Daniels at quarterback can lead to a quick resurgence.

No one expects the Commanders to go from arguably being the NFL’s worst defense to one of the best in one offseason. However, if Washington expects to return to contention, it needs a defense that can finish in at least the top 15 of most statistical categories, force some turnovers and get off the field on third downs. Far too often in recent years, Washington’s defense was the “get-right game” for struggling quarterbacks.