The Washington Commanders’ latest rebuild began in early January, when they parted with coordinators Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. and warned of a significant overhaul still to come.
“Man, it’s just the beginning,” coach Dan Quinn said at the time. “We got a lot of work to do.”
This wasn’t going to be a small roster tweak with a few new coaches and players. No, Washington was a set for a systemic shift: new schemes, new play callers, new views on how to build a contender and new talent to try to get them there.
Such is life when you fall to 5-12 only a year after making it to the NFC Championship Game.
After naming David Blough and Daronte Jones their new offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, the Commanders have since parted with six other assistant coaches, released two prominent starters (center Tyler Biadasz and cornerback Marshon Lattimore), spent more than $220 million in total contract value on a dozen new acquisitions, re-signed 11 of their own free agents and extended the contracts of two other veterans (left tackle Laremy Tunsil and guard/center Nick Allegretti).
New Commanders Acquisitions
PlayerPos.AgeDealHt., Wt.
EDGE
27
4 yrs., $96m
6-5, 265
DE
26
1 yr., $11m
6-3, 255
DE
28
1 yr., $4m
6-5, 280
DT
28
3 yrs., $24m
6-3, 308
OLB
25
3 yrs., $24.75m
6-3, 250
CB
27
2 yrs., $15.02m
5-9, 183
S
24
2 yrs., $13m
6-0, 212
TE
26
3 yrs., $27m
6-3, 238
WR
26
1 yr., $3m
6-0, 195
WR
29
1 yr.
6-1, 200
RB
27
1 yr., $2m
6-0, 214
RB
26
1 yr.
5-10, 210
The changes have, so far, aligned with what general manager Adam Peters said he wanted to achieve. Dating back to his introductory press conference, Peters has said unequivocally that the core of the team would come from the draft.
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“We’re going to build through the draft here and supplement through free agency,” he said in early 2024. “We’re going to be very process-driven and diligent in who we select in free agency, but we’re going to build through the draft here.”
Last year, the Commanders veered off that course to try to capitalize on their ’24 success. Their top veteran acquisitions were through trades, which cost them multiple draft picks and limited their class of 2025 to only five selections. It didn’t help that many of Washington’s 2024 drafted rookies struggled in their second seasons.
This year, Washington’s focus is back to building a foundation.
“There’s a lot a places we can get better in every room, in terms of whether it’s the high end or the starters or the depth,” Peters said at the NFL combine in February. “I think this draft and this free agency kind of lines up with what we’re looking for, which is good. So I think we’ll have a chance to really get a lot better.”
In the first wave of free agency this month, Peters added youth and speed to the roster, fortified the pass rush, found players with track records of versatility, and bolstered nearly every positional group that needed upgrades — all while leaving more than $50 million in estimated salary cap space to acquire more veteran depth.
The moves have been intentional to both fill roster needs and to also give the team “optionality,” as Peters calls it, in the upcoming draft, where the Commanders hold the seventh pick. Sure, the team could still use upgrades at multiple positions — only a few of the veteran newcomers are clear and obvious starters at this point — but they are no longer desperate at any spot.
At running back, Washington signed three veterans — Rachaad White, Jerome Ford and Jeremy McNichols — to one-year deals to fill out the room and add experience alongside Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt. But if Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love is available at No. 7, the room is built such that Washington would have no reason to hesitate in grabbing him to add an explosive and dynamic threat on offense.
Commanders re-signings and extensions
PlayerPos.AgeDealHt., Wt.
QB
32
1 yr., $7m
6-4, 222
WR
25
1 yr.
6-2, 225
RB
30
1 yr.
5-9, 205
LT
31
2 yrs., $60.2m
6-5, 313
G
27
1 yr.
6-4, 324
OL
31
2 yrs.
6-5, 304
OL
29
1 yr.
6-4, 310
OL
32
1 yr.
6-5, 320
DE
31
1 yr.
6-5, 280
DE
24
1 yr.
6-4, 273
DT
30
1 yr.
6-3, 300
K
26
1 yr.
6-1, 210
P
35
1 yr.
6-1, 220
At receiver, the Commanders brought back Dyami Brown and signed Van Jefferson for depth, but they still need a true No. 2 wideout to complement Terry McLaurin. Drafting Ohio State’s Carnell Tate or Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson would make plenty of sense if either are available with their first pick.
The safety corps added Nick Cross, a speedy and versatile defensive back. But the group could always use an infusion of more talent, and former Ohio State star Caleb Downs would be hard to pass up if he’s available. The same can be said at edge rusher, where Washington brought in three veterans — Odafe Oweh signed a four-year, $96 million deal and is the prize of the free-agent class, and K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu each signed one-year deals as potential rotational pieces and depth — but the team still has plenty of room for more elite pass-rushing talent. It shouldn’t be a surprise if Peters selects former Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. or former Texas Tech standout David Bailey at No. 7 if either are there.
The same holds at linebacker and cornerback, where the Commanders brought in Leo Chenal, a young and athletic outside backer, and Amik Robertson, an undersized but tough and versatile defensive back. If either Ohio State’s Sonny Styles or LSU’s Mansoor Delane are on still the board when Washington is up in the first round, they could easily become Commanders.
Because if there’s one piece the Commanders could really use, it’s another a game-changer.
They have quarterback Jayden Daniels and McLaurin. But they lack a third proven offensive threat, be it in the run game or pass game.
They have an up-and-coming pass rusher in Oweh, and now multiple young and versatile defensive backs. But they could use another disrupter.
“We have a high pick, which is something that you don’t really want if it’s your own pick,” Peters said in January. “But we’re going to take advantage of that and try to find a young, explosive playmaker, wherever that may be.”