Speaking at the NFL Annual League Meeting, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn shared his thoughts on how Adam Peters rebuilt the team’s speed and culture.

PHOENIX — We’re still months away from getting to see the beginning on-field stages of what the 2026 Washington Commanders will become, but already, head coach Dan Quinn believes he’s got a fast and versatile unit that has a chance of putting 2025 firmly in the rearview mirror.

Meeting with local media at the NFL’s annual league meetings this week, Quinn shared that “I feel like this is an elevated group with a lot of versatility. I like the speed that we added to the team.”


Key Takeaways

Head coach Dan Quinn believes the 2026 free agency class injected good amounts of speed and versatility into the Washington Commanders roster.Quinn highlighted the immediate chemistry building between new additions and returning veterans, specifically noting the bond between Charles Omenihu and Laremy Tunsil as an example.The coaching staff views the return of defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. as a foundational piece for the locker room culture.

“The thing I love the most is the competition that comes with putting a good group together. And so when you look at some of our positions, man, that is going to be a battle. And the thing that comes from that is where everyone lifts up and goes.”


Adam Peters completely overhauled the speed and versatility of the roster

The Commanders made an aggressive push in free agency under general manager Adam Peters, adding several players who figure to make major impacts in the coming season. 

Edge Odafe Oweh is looking to build on his back-half success in 2025 with the Los Angeles Chargers in defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ scheme, which promises to accentuate versatility and feature talent where it is most capable.

Additionally, other additions like linebacker Leo Chenal and tight end Chig Okonkwo figure to bring some of the free-flowing speed that will challenge opposing teams to not only identify where they are snap-to-snap, but where they are going after the play is live.


Key 2026 Free Agency additions mentioned by Dan Quinn

| Player | Position | 2025 Team | Impact Trait |
| Odafe Oweh | EDGE | Chargers | Scheme versatility |
| Leo Chenal | LB | Chiefs | Free-flowing speed |
| Chig Okonkwo | TE | Titans | Offensive mismatch speed |

“Having the new guys in for their day when they signed, I enjoyed that because after a tough end of season, end of January and February, to get some of these guys in here to see their enthusiasm of doing it all together, that was really cool.”


Familiar connections are already building a new locker room culture

But it isn’t all new faces in the building. Even some of the new ones have familiar connections, such as new edge Charles Omenihu and recently extended left tackle, Laremy Tunsil.

“To see that connection,” Quinn said. “I hadn’t put the Omenihu and Tunsil connection together, and they talk about a hug and excitement and somebody that had mentored him, and it meant a lot to him. Those are things that the coaches like.”

Returning players are equally important, however, especially when they have the pedigree of someone like defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr., who has come over to Washington from the New England Patriots in the 2025 offseason.


Deatrich Wise Jr. returning to Washington gives Dan Quinn a foundational leader

His desire to return to the team signifies the veteran’s belief in the culture of what is happening with the Commanders, and the team’s desire to bring him back is a direct reflection of who Quinn believes he can be on the field again, despite playing in less than two full games in his one year with the team.

“If things were going bad in a dark alley, like, ‘Hey, Wise!’ I know he’d be right there and I’d want him right there.”

With the NFL Draft less than one month away, the team is not fully assembled yet. As works in progress go, however, Quinn likes the development he’s seeing in his roster where new players complement old, and all of them fit into the mold of what he believes will be a better way of doing things in 2026, as the Commanders aim to get back on the trail they started blazing in 2024.


Sources & Fact-Check Log

Primary Quotes: Head coach Dan Quinn’s press availability at the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting in Phoenix.

Player History: Verified the Houston Texans overlap between Laremy Tunsil and Charles Omenihu (both joined the organization in 2019).

Roster Context: Re-verified Deatrich Wise Jr.’s limited 2025 playing time due to his early-season injury.

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