It was another evening where the Washington Commanders failed to meet even modest expectations. And they made their stance on one beloved fan favorite crystal clear during the contest.

Despite leading with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter, another collapse of epic proportions saw the Philadelphia Eagles clinch the NFC East title once again at Northwest Stadium. This was the latest in a series of embarrassing moments from an otherwise underwhelming campaign.

The Commanders have given safety Jeremy Reaves a lot more time on the defensive rotation this season. His standout summer performance prompted the coaching staff to change course, which is nothing more than he deserved. But aside from a few flashes of promise, it’s not quite going according to plan.

Jeremy Reaves saw his Commanders snaps plummet in Week 16

Reaves is a maximum effort guy. He’s a passionate locker room leader who leaves everything on the field. Even so, his inability to tackle effectively and overcommitting in coverage have been glaring flaws throughout the campaign.

Head coach Dan Quinn restricted Reaves’ involvement in Week 16. The former South Alabama star was on the field for just 26 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, which is a steep drop-off from his season average of 58%. It may have been due to the matchups, but it’s a clear sign that those in power are not entirely satisfied with his performance.

While Reaves isn’t finding the correct consistency when his number is called on defense, he remains an elite-level special-teams performer. He came up with a thunderous stop against the Eagles to further highlight this fact. Given that the Commanders tied him to another one-year deal this offseason, he’ll remain an integral part of the team’s plans in this discipline.

As for making one of the starting safety spots his own, the chances are diminishing.

Reaves isn’t the only one failing to meet expectations. Nobody in Washington’s safety room is emerging from the campaign with much credit, which brought into question general manager Adam Peters’ decision to let Jeremy Chinn leave in free agency. Mistakes were made, but what’s essential for the front-office leader is giving the secondary a massive facelift in the coming months.

As for Reaves? He needs to refine his tackling technique. He’s focusing more on trying to rip the football out when an oncoming runner isn’t secure, which is an ongoing frustration. It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for the All-Pro special-teamer, but that might be the niche he finds himself occupying again in 2026.

Not the end of the world, of course. Even so, Reaves won’t want to be phased out entirely after this setback.