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Building front to back: The Commanders\u2019 bet on defensive speed over secondary personnel<\/a><\/p>\n [W]hen the draft concluded, Washington<\/a> hadn\u2019t selected a single defensive back.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Not early. Not late. Not at all.<\/p>\n Washington didn\u2019t forget about the secondary. It deprioritized it.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s a single stat that explains Washington\u2019s approach \u2014 not just in the draft, but this entire offseason \u2014 it\u2019s this:<\/p>\n The Commanders averaged 5.1 seconds from snap to tackle last season \u2014 the third-slowest mark in the NFL, behind only the Bengals<\/a> and Cowboys, according to TruMedia.<\/p>\n That number shows up everywhere on tape. Opposing offenses extended too many plays. Receivers running free into open space. Too much space between the first contact and the whistle.<\/p>\n Fixing that wasn\u2019t about adding another corner or an agile safety for the new defensive scheme under first-time coordinator Daronte Jones.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n It was about creating a faster, more aggressive pass rush, the kind that shortens coverage time, simplifies reads and reduces exposure on the back end.<\/p>\n That suggests the Commanders either didn\u2019t view the available defensive backs as upgrades relative to their slots, or assessed their own roster more favorably than the perception.<\/p>\n But zoom out.<\/p>\n Washington invested heavily in speed and disruption along the front seven. It signed edge defenders Odafe Oweh<\/a> (4.36 40-yard time at the 2021 Scouting Combine) and K\u2019Lavon Chaisson<\/a> to lead the pass rush, and Tim Settle<\/a> to bolster the interior line.<\/p>\n At linebacker, Styles (4.46) and Leo Chenal<\/a> (4.53) bring the sideline-to-sideline range the defense lacked. All the newcomers complement aggressive holdovers in Dorance Armstrong<\/a> and Frankie Luvu<\/a>, plus last season\u2019s tackle rotation.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n To be clear, Washington didn\u2019t ignore the secondary this offseason.<\/p>\n Nick Cross<\/a> was added for range and physicality.<\/p>\n Depth corners Amik Robertson<\/a> and Ahkello Witherspoon<\/a> bring experience and versatility to the mix behind Mike Sainristil<\/a> and Trey Amos<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cross (4.34) and Robertson (4.45) join Amos, Sainristil and Quan Martin<\/a> as defensive backs with sub-4.5 speed.<\/p>\n In this system, the secondary doesn\u2019t need elite individual performers as much as it needs cohesion and communication. That\u2019s the theory.<\/p>\n If the pass rush doesn\u2019t consistently affect the quarterback, the burden shifts back to the secondary<\/p>\n The needs were evident. But not enough to move Washington off a classic football axiom. Building the front helps the back more than the other way around.<\/p>\n Commanders Roundtable<\/p>\n Five Best Moves of Washington Commanders 2026 Offseason So Far<\/a><\/p>\n Free agent signing of TE Chig Okonkwo<\/p>\n With one of the most pressing questions centered around upgrading the skill players for quarterback Jayden Daniels<\/a>, the signing<\/a> of tight end Chig Okonkwo continues to trend as easily the most pivotal move on offense. The athletic receiving threat has put an emphasis on growing as a blocker since college, yet his big play ability adds the element needed to address the biggest concern at the position. While veteran Terry McLaurin<\/a> will play a feature role in the passing attack, projecting Okonkwo as second on the team in both targets and catches may not be a stretch, even if another wide receiver jumps in the fold.<\/p>\n Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n These Undrafted Wide Receivers Could Embarrass NFL Teams That Passed<\/a><\/p>\n Washington Commanders: Chris Hilton Jr., WR, LSU<\/p>\n Chris Hilton Jr. made pre-draft history by attending four major collegiate all-star games<\/a>, including the East-West Shrine and Senior Bowl. Hilton is a speedy 4.41 wide receiver who averaged 19 yards per catch during his career. The Washington Commanders will have to sort through why he only registered 41 catches in five seasons. The Commanders drafted receiver Antonio Williams<\/a> in the second round, but there appears to be room for contention on the back end of the depth chart.<\/p>\n Hogs Haven<\/p>\n Breaking down of how Peters and the front office handled Washington\u2019s draft capital<\/a><\/p>\n Round 1, Pick 7: Sonny Styles, LB (Ohio State)<\/p>\n \u200bI\u2019ll be direct: I am not a fan of this selection. Styles was on my \u201cbuyer beware\u201d list, though not for a lack of physical talent. He is an elite athlete who showed impressive growth after transitioning to linebacker, but the red flag is glaring\u2014he only has two years of experience at the position.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u200bIn the NFL, that lack of \u201cfootball IQ\u201d at the second level is a major concern. I worry about how he\u2019ll handle elite play-callers designed to deceive him, or how he\u2019ll shed blocks against NFL-sized offensive linemen in the run game. At Ohio State, his role was relatively simplified; this jump to the pros will be a massive transition.<\/p>\n \u200bWhile I believe he can become a quality starter, the \u201cgenerational\u201d or \u201crevolutionary\u201d labels being thrown around by the media and the fanbase feel premature. To me, his ceiling looks more like Tremaine Edmunds<\/a> than Fred Warner<\/a>. That is a very good player, but in my opinion, it wasn\u2019t enough to justify passing on a talent like Caleb Downs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Round 5, Pick 147: Joshua Josephs, EDGE (Tennessee<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u200bThis is my favorite pick of the draft. While he slipped to the fifth round due to character concerns, he landed in the perfect situation. Josephs fits the exact profile that Dan Quinn and Daronte Jones covet: long, athletic defenders with an explosive first step.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u200bIn my eyes, Josephs had the best \u201cget off\u201d in the entire class. If you turn on the tape from his games against Georgia and Alabama, you see an absolute unit wreaking havoc in the backfield. The primary knock on him is consistency, but joining this specific rotation allows him the time to refine his game.<\/p>\n \u200bWashington is finally adopting a \u201cbasketball team\u201d approach to the pass rush\u2014building a deep rotation of diverse, high-quality rushers rather than overpaying for a single elite star. This is a sustainable way to build an edge room.<\/p>\n Commanders Roundtable<\/p>\n QB Athan Kaliakmanis Explains What Sticks Out about Commanders<\/a><\/p>\n Kaliakmanis got a chance to \u201ctalk to everybody, I shook hands with everybody\u201d during his top-30 visit while sitting down with the offensive staff, cementing his belief that he \u201cwanted to be a Commander.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I loved was how everybody\u2019s connected, everyone\u2019s together,\u201d Kaliakmanis said. \u201cAnd I felt that when I went into that building.\u201d<\/p>\n Kaliakmanis now arrives with a chance to prove himself as an agile quarterback with a strong arm, a trait he was able to put on film after having two of the most underrated receivers in the country to throw to in KJ Duff and Ian Strong. [Sam] Hartman, meanwhile, will look to hold off the seventh round pick despite being passed over for Josh Johnson<\/a> at the end of the 2025 season, yet Kaliakmanis also arrives as a system fit with a chance to impress enough for a chance to grow into a backup role in 2027.<\/p>\n For now, the incoming rookie quarterback is looking to learn from the veteran experience ahead of him.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing in my position, I think being able to become the best player that I could possibly can and just get incrementally better every single day. That\u2019s what I\u2019m going to show up and I\u2019m going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Hogs Haven<\/p>\n How will Joshua Josephs impact Commanders pass rush as a rookie?<\/a><\/p>\n Josephs is only 242 pounds. That\u2019s pretty light, even for a standup edge rusher. Draft analysts say he\u2019ll need to bulk up some and add strength, which doesn\u2019t often happen in a compacted offseason between the draft and training camp.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n While he has the talent to be a quality NFL player, some technical development is required<\/a> to help him consistently beat pass protectors. I mean, he was a Day 3 pick for a reason. That\u2019s why Josephs should have a lower bar entering his rookie season. His crazy-massive wingspan suggests he should be good at batting passes and keeping blockers off him, but he\u2019ll need a bigger pass-rush arsenal at this level.<\/p>\n He should see steady action \u2013 special teams participation is a given \u2013 that increases as the season goes on, with 3-5 sacks as a realistic first-year bar.<\/p>\n Bleacher Report<\/p>\n Ranking Every NFL Defense After the 2026 Draft<\/a><\/p>\n 30. Washington Commanders<\/p>\n The Washington Commanders were terrible defensively\u2014the team was dead last in yards allowed, 28th against the pass, 30th against the run and 27th in scoring defense.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult to imagine that defense being markedly better in 2026.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not that the team didn\u2019t make efforts to improve in free agency and the draft. The edge-rushers were overhauled with the addition of Odafe Oweh and K\u2019Lavon Chaisson. Safety Nick Cross was signed to shore up the back end of the defense. The team spent the seventh overall pick on Ohio State\u2019s Sonny Styles, who will replace the great Bobby Wagner<\/a> at off-ball linebacker.<\/p>\n But questions remain at all three levels of the defense. Oweh and Chaisson have one 10-sack season between them. Styles is wildly talented but unproven. And while Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon were signed in free agency, the cornerback corps is shaky on a good day.<\/p>\n The Commanders may be better defensively in 2026. But that doesn\u2019t make them good.<\/p>\n Podcasts & videosAntonio Williams Versatility is INSANE | Film Breakdown & AnalysisCommanders UDFA: UTSA Robert Henry Jr. vs. Texas A&M | 16 Carries, 177 Yards & 2 TDs | 8\/30\/25<\/p>\n h\/t ShogunofHarlem<\/a><\/p>\n NFC East links<\/p>\n Blogging the Boys<\/p>\n Where the Cowboys\u2019 new-look defense ranks after the draft<\/a><\/p>\n In a recent article for Bleacher Report<\/a>, it was predicted<\/a> the Cowboys\u2019 defense will still struggle this year, ranking Dallas<\/a> 26th among all defensive units in the NFL. Here is what he had to say about the Cowboys\u2019 new-look defense.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The Dallas Cowboys were abysmal defensively a year ago. Only one NFC team allowed more yards per game than the Cowboys last season, and Dallas was the only team in the league that allowed more than 30 points per game.<\/p>\n To be fair, the Cowboys were aggressive in both free agency and the draft trying to fix that leaky defense. There are a pair of new edge-rushers in Dallas in veteran Rashan Gary and first-round rookie Malachi Lawrence. The Cowboys quietly strengthened the linebacker room with a draft day trade for Dee Winters, who topped 100 total tackles and started all 17 games for the San Francisco 49ers last year. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is a movable chess piece who was a gift with the 11th overall pick. If Lawrence is a quick study, the front four in Big D could actually be pretty solid. But there are just too many potential issues behind them\u2014both against the run and in coverage.<\/p>\n Hope the Dallas offense is ready for some shootouts.<\/p>\n Hogs Haven<\/p>\n NFC Beast- Draft Recap and Division Prediction<\/a><\/p>\n Reviewing the 2026 NFL Draft in its entirety, it is safe to say that all four teams in the NFC East had good drafts.\u00a0 I\u2019d argue that the NFC East dominated the draft compared to other divisions.\u00a0 It would be a novel getting into each pick from all NFC East teams, but I want to showcase some of my favorite picks from each team and predict how the NFC East teams\u2019 records will play out.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n In my opinion, the NFC East is building itself back to being the dominating division it was in the 90\u2019s when 3 out of the 4 teams won the Super Bowl 4 years in a row.\u00a0 \u00a0To keep things interesting for my record predictions I will assume each team will split division wins and losses.\u00a0 This would make for a very interesting playoff ranking that could be decided in the last weeks of the season.<\/p>\n Eagles 2026 Record prediction: I can see the Eagles being anywhere from 11-6 to 9-8.\u00a0 With the NFC East becoming increasingly more competitive and the Eagles not looking as dominate as they did when they won the Super Bowl, there could be some surprise losses for Philly if they don\u2019t clean up sloppy play from last year.\u00a0 FanDuel has their win\/loss at 10.5 wins.<\/p>\n Bleacher Report<\/p>\n One Sentence Describing Every NFL Team\u2019s Potential Nightmare 2026 Season Scenario<\/a><\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys<\/a>: Major changes don\u2019t fix a defensive unit that surrendered a league-high 30.1 points per game last season, and Dallas misses the playoffs for a third year in a row, continuing to waste the offense\u2019s window.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n New York Giants<\/a>: More tape on Jaxson Dart<\/a> leads to a sophomore slump for the 2025 first-round pick, leaving the Giants in a tough spot following a fourth consecutive non-playoff season.<\/p>\n Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>: Saquon Barkley<\/a> continues to decline, exposing Jalen Hurts<\/a>, who struggles mightily with Makai Lemon learning the ropes as A.J. Brown<\/a>\u2019s de facto replacement.<\/p>\n Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels pulls a C.J. Stroud<\/a> with back-to-back disappointing seasons following an Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign as the Commanders fall well short of the playoffs again.<\/p>\n NFL league linksArticles<\/p>\n ESPN<\/p>\n Chiefs\u2019 Patrick Mahomes on track to participate in first OTAs<\/a><\/p>\n Andy Reid said Saturday quarterback Patrick Mahomes<\/a> is on track to participate alongside his teammates, even if it\u2019s in a limited capacity.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Mahomes is continuing to progress well in his rehab after he had surgery in December to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, according to Reid. The Chiefs are scheduled to have their first three OTAs May 26-28.<\/p>\n He is in a good position to be able to do some things,\u201d Reid said of Mahomes. \u201cIf he can do some things, [he\u2019ll do it]. Phase 2 [of the offseason program], remember, there\u2019s no contact and there\u2019s no offense versus defense. It\u2019s Phase 3 that you get into that. \u2026 He\u2019s in a position where he can do everything, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n Pro Football Talk<\/p>\n