Commanders defender says Jayden Daniels 'has that look in his eye'

Deatrich Wise is excited about the 2026 Washington Commanders defense.

As a guest on the Insiders on the NFL Network on Monday, Wise went so far as to say the Commanders‘ defense “is going to be a great defense.” It was another reminder of how excited and optimistic every NFL team is this time of year. In this case, the Commanders’ new defensive personnel have yet to work together, face an opponent, or even hit battle their own offense in training camp.

But yes, the Commanders’ defense surrendered more yards than any other NFL team last season. They were injured in some key spots, but most importantly, they were not competitive. It was embarrassing. Wise was injured in Week 2 against the Packers, ending his entire season. Wise expressed that the 2026 defense will be “very aggressive.”

Indeed, GM Adam Peters stated in the postseason press conference that the team needed “to get younger and faster,” and on paper, Peters has certainly addressed both areas. Wise told Insiders Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo that he was very happy that Peters brought Wise back to the 2026 Commanders. “I’m very excited to be part of the team. I love the guys, I love the atmosphere.”

Peters having signed several new defensive players to the roster, Wise is optimistic, expressing, “These guys coming in, they’re bringing great speed, great power. Those guys up front are going to make it happen. And then our back end is just phenomenal. From Will (Harris) to Mikey (Sainristil) those guys are just unstoppable.”

Ok, not sure what secondary Wise was watching last season. Ironically, Wise is overly optimistic rather than realistic. That said, in the preseason game, the defensive coaches will remind the Commanders where their defense actually is. You can count on that.

Yes, Wise is not being very realistic. But with all the changes in personnel made by Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, hiring a new defensive coordinator, Daronte Jones, perhaps things will at least be a lot better in 2026 than the 2025 team, which surrendered more yards than any other team in the NFL last season.

When asked about QB Jayden Daniels coming off his own injuries in 2025, Wise responded, “He has that look in his eyes that he’s ready to take over the league.” Okay, so Wise often likes to speak with superlatives. Yet knowing what Daniels did in Kliff Kingsbury’s 2024 offense would leave any teammate optimistic for 2026.

We certainly hope the big fella can be a force with his size on the edge helping the Commanders defense stop the run, and put good pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Most of all we at Commanders Wire hope Wise can avoid injury in 2026, enjoying a healthy season.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels ‘has that look in his eyes’

Commanders defender says Jayden Daniels ‘has that look in his eye’

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