Feb. 19, 2026, 3:01 a.m. ET

NFL free agency is only a few weeks away, and the Washington Commanders could be very busy. One NFL insider thinks Washington could be capable of “fireworks” during the early stages of free agency.

Washington has plenty of needs and money to spend. Most of Washington’s needs are on the defensive side of the ball. New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones needs an infusion of talent, but with only two picks in the top 100 of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Commanders will likely target multiple defensive starters during free agency next month.

Washington badly needs pass rushers. The only edge rushers under contract in 2026 are Dorance Armstrong (coming off knee surgery) and Javontae Jean-Baptiste (torn pec in 2025). Von Miller, Jacob Martin, Preston Smith, Jalyn Holmes and Drake Jackson are all free agents. There’s no doubt that the Commanders will add multiple edge rushers this offseason, either via free agency or the NFL draft.

Without knowing what type of scheme Jones will run, it’s tough to project what Washington needs the most: multiple edge rushers or someone who can create pressure from the interior. The Commanders do have Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw and Jer’Zhan Newton under contract next season. Payne is a good pass rusher, at times, while Newton has flashed, but lacks consistency.

While everyone debates the merits of Washington signing an edge rusher like Trey Hendrickson, Odafe Oweh, Joey Bosa, or Boye Mafe, what if signing another interior pass rusher is the move?

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The top interior rusher on the market will be John Franklin-Myers of the Denver Broncos. Denver has the cap space to re-sign Franklin-Myers, but hasn’t reached a deal with him. He was a big part of the Broncos’ top-ranked defense in 2025, recording 25 tackles, including six for loss, 7.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Franklin-Myers recorded at least seven sacks in each of the last two seasons.

Franklin-Myers is older than some other free-agent defenders, aside from Hendrickson. He’ll turn 30 in September. However, recent evidence proves he’s playing some of the best football of his eight-year NFL career. He’s also a success story.

Originally a fourth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Stephen F. Austin, Franklin-Myers was cut after his rookie season. He landed with the New York Jets, where he played for four seasons until joining the Broncos in 2024. His pressure numbers have improved over the past two seasons. He’s also experienced playing in the 3-4 and 4-3 defenses. Franklin-Myers has played defensive end and defensive tackle, so his versatility is an asset.

Another benefit for anyone who signs Franklin-Myers is that he is also stout against the run.

Spotrac projects Franklin-Myers to earn $7.9 million annually on his next deal. If he hits the open market, he’ll almost certainly earn more.

So, while the focus is on edge defenders, don’t look past Franklin-Myers. He should be high on Washington’s list.