Commanders are one midseason realization away from changing everything

"With the trade deadline fast approaching on November 4, a loss would drop the Commanders to 3-6. The noise demanding Washington sell off pieces would be deafening, especially given the veteran-heavy roster it features. There are still reasons why the Commanders shouldn't sell, but whether their retooling begins this week or in the offseason, one thing is for sure. They need to get younger in a bad way if they're going to build a sustained contender around star quarterback Jayden Daniels."

"Inheriting a roster with an utter void of developing talent thanks to Ron Rivera's draft blunders, the only solution was to bring in stopgap veterans to fill the holes. When Daniels became as good as he did, as quickly as he did, it only further necessitated the need to add experience around him. Washington suddenly had a window to maximize with a franchise signal-caller on his rookie contract, giving the Commanders all of the cap room in the world to work with."

"Worse yet, the Commanders still aren't getting ideal development from their young players. Second-year cornerback Mike Sainristil and third-year safety Quan Martin have regressed. Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey continues to be treated like a kid learning how to ride his bike, even though he has made plays when called upon. There have been glimpses of promise from rookies such as second-round corner Trey Amos. But besides Daniels, no one drafted by Peters is a star."

The Commanders face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football with a trade deadline looming on November 4. A loss would drop Washington to 3-6 and intensify calls to sell veteran pieces from a veteran-heavy roster. The team needs to get younger to build a sustained contender around Jayden Daniels. General manager Adam Peters stocked the roster with stopgap veterans after inheriting a dearth of developing talent from prior draft failures. Daniels' rapid rise created a short-term window, but the roster's age has backfired in 2025 and many young players have not developed into stars.

Read at Riggo's Rag