The Washington Commanders coaches and players are not going to do what the fans want.
Hey, the Commanders are 3-8. No, the fans are already thinking ahead to 2026; they see 2025 as a lost season, already over, at least, not having any significant meaning to them. However, the coaches want to win; they want to finish strong. The players understand by now that every play is a play on film. It’s a resume, and if they are not going to be brought back here next year, they certainly want to find work somewhere in the NFL in 2026.
Fans are thinking long-term to the 2026 free-agent signing period and the 2026 NFL draft. Consequently, they are not concerned with what will bring a couple of more wins this season. No, they are thinking about what will bring more wins in the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Thus, the Commanders’ fan base is already on social media, calling into sports talk radio shows to share their concerns about next year’s draft.
For instance, more fans than we realize are aware that the Commanders are now in the No. 7 draft position for next April’s draft. Realizing the team has so many needs, the fans already are talking about trading down in the next draft, enabling the Commanders to collect one or two more picks than they presently possess.
Coaches and players? Not at all. They have pride; they want to coach better, play better, look better on game day on the field. They realize they have a certain value, and want to improve themselves and their poor performances this season. Thus, Bobby Wagner will want to be out there every down. Zach Ertz has played effectively for over a decade. There is no way he will suddenly approach a coach expressing, “Hey, I realize it is more important for this franchise that Ben Sinnott be out there more than me. Seeing he needs to develop, why don’t you go ahead and start him over me?”
Fans are going to want to see more of Sinnott and Colson Yankoff at tight end. The linebacker play has fallen off from last season. So, fans naturally want to see Kain Medrano and Ale Kaho. Jordan Magee has received more playing time over the last few weeks, and it would appear that will continue the remainder of the season.
But for the next few games, expectations should be that coaches will try to get more wins this season. It may not be until the final couple of games that they resort to playing the younger players more and resting the veterans, as fans are calling for them to play less. One notable move came when 25-year-old safety Quan Martin appeared to be benched during Sunday’s game against Miami. That will be a position to watch and see what develops.
But for now, the fan base is going to need to consider that their own expectations won’t match the players’ and coaches’ passion for the next few weeks, in terms of who plays and who doesn’t.