#washington-commanders

#washington-commanders

Toward the end of 2024, Washington Commanders' general manager Adam Peters began patching holes in his roster in preparation for the new campaign. The acquisition of veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore was one step toward rebuilding the secondary. He continued that work when he chose Trey Amos in the second round of the 2025 draft. Other positions of need - offensive line and wide receiver - were similarly addressed through high-profile trades and high-value draft picks.

One couldn't ever accuse Adam Peters of being an absent general manager. He's incredibly active, turning over every stone to improve the Washington Commanders' roster. Nobody would deny that it's not in a better place now. Some signings have paid off. The jury is still out on others. There are far more hits than misses, which is why the Commanders went from the NFL's basement to the NFC Championship game in the first season under his leadership.

We'll make sure we take all the right steps. Just like we do with all the guys. If they're able to, you know, fully express how they play and do the thing, then we're there. And if not, we'll have to keep waiting, but we won't decide yet. But with having an extra day, that never hurts going into it. But as we get a few more days from now, I think I'll have a better sense for if it's able to be done and what it looks like and how they're responding to it.

In hindsight, the Washington Commanders' battle with the Los Angeles Chargers was already over by the middle of the third quarter. But no one knew it at the time. The Commanders were up by a touchdown and had driven all the way to the Chargers' 13-yard line. They faced a 2nd-and-5. Washington was in the process of finishing a rather extraordinary turnaround after looking all but dead in the first quarter.

Quinn found the right formula. The Commanders recovered from a slow start to completely overwhelm the Chargers, scoring 27 unanswered points to come away with a comfortable victory on the road. This was a massive confidence boost when the team needed it most. But for one underperforming veteran, the outlook wasn't nearly as positive. Noah Igbinoghene is quickly becoming a Commanders afterthought. The Commanders made their stance on cornerback Noah Igbinoghene crystal clear.

Magee's been an innocent bystander, for the most part, this season. Washington's linebacking corps was crying out for an extra injection of explosiveness, but Whitt remained cautious when it came to the 2024 fourth-round pick. He finally got a chance to stake a claim at SoFi Stadium, and he took full advantage. It was only 12 defensive snaps, but Magee made the most of them. His athleticism and quickness off the snap were considerable assets to call upon. And the physicality displayed to secure a tackle for loss would have been a massive confidence boost for the second-year pro.

Things were teetering on a knife-edge for the depleted Washington Commanders in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Fans were fearing the worst after a sluggish start, but head coach Dan Quinn's squad once again proved they were made of the right stuff. The Commanders dusted themselves off. After some heated words on the sidelines, everyone got on the same page. Washington scored 27 unanswered points, moving to within one game of the Philadelphia Eagles atop the NFC East along the way.

Pressure is growing on this unit, which has not been at its best to start the campaign. However, it didn't take long to realize that the same problems would persist. Justin Herbert, the Chargers' superstar quarterback and legitimate NFL MVP candidate through four weeks, effortlessly moved the ball downfield. His long run was inexcusable from the Commanders' standpoint, and the signal-caller had no trouble punishing Washington after second-year cornerback Mike Sainristil's inexplicable offside penalty on the field goal attempt.

Rebuilding the roster with experienced players paid off handsomely for the Washington Commanders in 2024, with 30-plus-year-old middle linebacker Bobby Wagner the most notable success story. Sadly, the 35-year-old is starting to show his age at the quarter mark of his second campaign. At a surface level, Wagner remains a highly respected veteran who fits the credible plan executed by Adam Peters. The latter deserves credit for offsetting the risk of signing ageing players by acknowledging the greater value of proven commodities.

The worst-case scenario has played out thus far for both players. Sainristil is off to a rough start, though he did come up with Washington's first takeaway of the year with a Week 4 interception. Lattimore looks like a shell of his four-time Pro Bowl self. He has been targeted in pass coverage and consistently struggled to keep up with faster receivers. Penalties have also been an issue for the Ohio State product.

One way the Commanders could bolster their flailing coverage abilities is by bringing in Riq Woolen. While the 2022 Pro Bowler may not be thriving in 2025, he's still only giving up a respectable 61.1 percent completion rate in coverage and should have plenty of tread left on his tires at the age of 26. If Seattle is willing to move on from Woolen, the Commanders should capitalize and bolster one of the weakest areas of their roster. It could be the difference between a deep playoff run and missing out entirely.

When the Washington Commanders paid Frankie Luvu handsomely in 2024 free agency, it was a risk that turned into a rapid reward. A fringe rotational player with the New York Jets before becoming a standout on the Carolina Panthers, the hybrid linebacker-edge rusher had spent much of 2024 playing like a fringe NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Washington. His explosiveness, relentless energy, and versatility made him one of the most valuable pieces in Washington's front-seven.

The Washington Commanders have run their well pretty dry when it comes to trade expenditure in recent months. That doesn't mean general manager Adam Peters won't make another daring move if he believes it can benefit the team's chances when the playoffs arrive. Getting into the postseason will be tough. The NFC looks a lot stronger this season. The Commanders are dealing with some troubling injury problems, although the likes of Jayden Daniels and Sam Cosmi are gearing up for their imminent returns.

Through roughly a quarter of the 2025 NFL campaign, limiting opposing aerial attacks has been a glaring area of weakness for the Washington Commanders. They've been susceptible to giving up the big play, specifically safety Quan Martin. Rival offenses have recognized his shortcomings and exploited them accordingly. This raises significant questions, both short-term and long-term. Martin, a 2023 second-round pick, has regressed this season when many expected a breakout year.

Winning the starting right tackle job before the campaign was just the first step for Josh Conerly Jr. The Washington Commanders' start to the season had some stern tests attached, and the first-round pick was going to be firmly in the firing line. As expected, Conerly went through a baptism of fire. The No. 29 overall selection came up against the vaunted New York Giants defensive front to start the campaign.

This was an afternoon to forget. The eventual scoreline didn't reflect how one-sided the contest was, for the most part. It was always going to be difficult without so many key personnel, but one cannot view this performance and lack of execution without feeling pessimistic. If their second defeat wasn't bad enough, the Commanders are also reportedly dealing with another possible long-term absence. And it's within a position group that isn't exactly blessed with great depth.