INDIANAPOLIS — A couple of weeks ago, shortly after David Blough and Daronte Jones were introduced as the Commanders’ new offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, the two presented their grand plan to the team’s staff.
“David went first and talked about offense, our vision, our scheme, and then got into the particular players and what we’re looking for in those particular players,” general manager Adam Peters recounted on Tuesday at the NFL combine. “… Daronte did a great job of painting the picture of what we’re looking at and how the (defensive) front is multiple, so … if a guy can do multiple things, then the versatility is probably more of a premium now.”
Blough and Jones created the outline that Peters and the Commanders’ personnel staff are now trying to fill. This week’s trip to Indiana isn’t the first step of their roster rebuild, but it’s one of the most significant. Meetings with draft prospects will be sandwiched between meetings with representatives for their own pending free agents as the team begins to assemble a more concrete plan for finding new talent.
In his first public comments since the team parted with former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and fired defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., Peters addressed on Tuesday an array of topics about his approach to free agency, how he evaluates edge rushers, his talks with left tackle Laremy Tunsil about a new deal, the plan for replacing some staffers and more.
Here are the top takeaways from Peters’ combine presser:
How the Commanders assess pass rushers
Peters said scheme and profile are obviously considerations when evaluating pass rushers, but that the really good edge rushers have traits that will carry over and be valuable no matter the system. And there are plenty of those in this draft class.
“Ideally, you want Myles Garrett,” he said with a grin. “That’s who you want, but there’s only one of those guys walking on the face of the earth. But a lot of those same traits — long, fast, explosive, can turn the corner, can finish, all those things. In terms of guys with shorter arms … there are a few in this draft who are really, really good players.”
There are also those whose measurables have made them polarizing, to a degree. Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami is one of top-rated edge rushers in this year’s class, and many analysts see him as a fit for the Commanders if he’s available by the time they select at No. 7. Bain was one of the most productive pass rushers in his class, but his arms measure 30 3/4 inches, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Some in personnel may believe his shorter arms would create limitations. Peters believes that any discussion of arm length requires context.
“Arm length — I could go days on this arm length thing, because every time you measure somebody’s arm, it could be 30, 31, 32, 33 (inches), just depending on who measures it,” Peters said. “So, you get a pretty good idea of how long their arms are with that, but it’s really how well they play with whatever length they have. Some guys have short arms and they play with great length and extension all the time. Some guys have really long arms (but) don’t use their length as well. It’s great to have that length, but it’s also how they use it and how it comes out on the tape. So, some guys can excel with shorter arms by doing things differently, but ideally you always want to err on the side of longer arms.”
What’s next for Marshon Lattimore, Brandon Aiyuk?
Veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore could very well be released soon; it would save the team $18.5 million in salary cap space. But nothing has happened yet, Peters said.
“We haven’t made a final decision there,” he said of Lattimore’s future. “There’s a lot of things that go into that, and we still have a few more conversations. Until then, he’s still on our team.”
Meanwhile, Peters deflected when asked about receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is still under contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Indicating an interest in him would be a violation of the NFL’s anti-tampering rule. But when asked generally about giving players “second chances,” he said, “I think everybody on earth deserves a second chance.”
Peters brought up defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, whom he helped draft in San Francisco in 2020 before signing him in Washington last year. Peters said Kinlaw “earned” his opportunity in Washington.
“He earned every single bit of it, and I wouldn’t call his a second chance, so to speak, because I had the familiarity with him,” Peters continued. “Understanding the type of person and player and competitor he is, that helped factor into that decision” to sign him in Washington.
Commanders ‘will keep the door open’ for Zach Ertz
Zach Ertz just completed his 13th NFL season. (Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
Veteran tight end Zach Ertz is recovering from an ACL injury he suffered late in the season, but a league source confirmed he does still want to play and is hopeful of signing with a team in 2026. Peters said the Commanders “will keep the door open” for Ertz and have had “a lot of talks” with Ertz and his agent about that as he continues to recover. Peters did caution, though, that “you can’t count on anything.”
“It’s hard to really quantify how good he is,” Peters said. “His ability to get open and be a great target on third down, or any passing down … and gaining the confidence of whatever quarterback he’s playing with is something that you can’t really see on a 40 time or anything like that. He’s always open, he makes big plays and he’s an incredible guy in the locker room. That was a big loss when he went down.”
Peters said the Commanders will look to fill the void left by Ertz with the four guys currently under contract in Washington’s tight ends room — John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff and Lawrence Cager — but they “wouldn’t be opposed to adding another one.”
Daron Payne, staff changes and more
• Peters said he’s “excited” about Daron Payne’s potential in Jones’ defense, indicating the veteran defensive tackle will stick around. The sides have not had any conversations about a contract extension. Such talks have been had with only left tackle Laremy Tunsil at this point.
• The full staff is nearly finalized, both Peters and coach Dan Quinn said. The roles of former director of scouting Tim Gribble, who joined the Pittsburgh Steelers, and former assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Brian Johnson, who joined the Los Angeles Rams, will be “absorbed” by the team’s current staff, at least for now, Peters said. After the Commanders get through free agency and the draft, Peters said, they’ll look at candidates both internally and externally to possibly fill Gribble’s job.
With Johnson’s role, Peters said he’s had conversations about filling it “internally or externally,” but “really what we want to do is make sure we surround Blough with as many people that can help him as possible to ensure he has every chance of success.”
• Tim McGrath, the team’s head of health and performance for the last two years, is leaving Washington to return to his home country of Australia. Peters said it was McGrath’s choice to leave, and the team has begun the process of finding his replacement. McGrath was a big piece of the team’s overhaul of its athletic training and rehabilitation program after the department previously ranked among the league’s worst in the NFL Players Association’s surveys.
Owner Josh Harris has emphasized health and new training methods with his other pro sports franchises, notably the Philadelphia 76ers, and quickly set out to expand and revamp the Commanders’ approach to training and sports performance shortly after he purchased the team in 2023.