The Washington Commanders are entering a critical offseason in 2026, and needed an infusion of youth, talent, and some luck as they try to bounce back from a 5-12 season. The second year of Adam Peters’ “recalibration” of the roster started with sky-high expectations after an NFC Championship Game appearance the year before. A Terry McLaurin hold-in, along with injuries to multiple starters made for a miserable season. Now we’re ready to see what Year 3 brings to Washington.
The Commanders used free
agency to make massive changes to the defense, along with firing defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr, and replacing him with Daronte Jones. That focus on defense continued with their first pick in this year’s draft, Ohio State LB Sonny Styles. Washington also brought in CB Amik Robertson, DL Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Charles Omenihu, and Tim Settle, along with LB Leo Chenal.
Washington also made major changes on the offensive side of the ball. There were reportedly issues with former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s use of personnel/playcalling last season, which was amplified by injuries to major players like Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin. David Blough took over the reigns from his former boss, and is making significant changes to the offense, and helping to mold Daniels into a more complete NFL QB. He also got some help in free agency with players like TE Chig Okonkwo and RB Rachaad White. Adam Peters used Washington’s second pick in the draft(3rd round) on WR Antonio Williams.
The Laremy Tunsil injury and questions at C and LG have power rankers worried about the health and well-being of Jayden Daniels as he returns from an injury-filled season. Can Nick Allegretti keep the pocket clean for Daniels as he works under center more, or will he be forced to scramble early and often? The Commanders start the season with low expectations and a tough early schedule.
Washington ranks as high as #18 with high praise for this year’s free agency and draft classes. The other side of the spectrum has them ranked as low as #31, and some dark times in Washington.
- Winning the Super Bowl odds: +7,000
- To Make the Playoffs: Make +265, Miss -330
- Jayden Daniels MVP Odds: +3,000
- Jayden Daniels Comeback Player of the Year Odds: +1,000
- Washington Commanders Win Total O/U: Over 7.5(+105), Under 7.5(-125)
High: 18
Low: 31
Average: 23.7
#18
Sports Illustrated (Orr)
I see Washington as a possible 10-game winner. Some analysts I respect have this team finishing dead last in the NFC East. It’s all on the table, especially with large-scale changes at the coordinator positions and a ton of new everyday starters. Jayden Daniels’s health remains the biggest x-factor, though. In a David Blough system, we’ll see him even more protected, we’ll see play-action even more weaponized and—possibly—the full extent of his powers unleashed. There’s a reason I nearly arm wrestled my fantasy comanager for the right to draft Terry McLaurin this year.
#20
ESPN
Milestone to watch: Quarterback Jayden Daniels setting a franchise record for single-season TD passes.
The only time a Washington quarterback threw for more than 30 touchdowns was Sonny Jurgensen in 1969 (31). Daniels threw for 25 in his rookie season, and the Commanders have a stronger receiving corps than last season with Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs and promising rookie Antonio Williams. Daniels also has looked ultra-sharp in David Blough’s new offense in practices. If Daniels stays healthy — and the offensive line without Laremy Tunsil can protect him — he can top Jurgensen. — John Keim
#21
Sporting News (Iyer)
The Commanders haven’t had the best offseason with Jayden Daniels and his personnel losses while Dan Quinn is still trying to assemble the right defensive pieces on an older winning team. Their vibes are more last-place, with the Giants being more competitive.
NFL Trade Rumors (Woodie)
It was a banner first year for QB Jayden Daniels. Not so much last year. As it stands, while the roster is better than it was a year ago, there are still major questions on the offensive line and the defense as a whole. I trust Daniels, as long as he can stay healthy, and Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs should be a great receiver duo. But can the Commanders protect Daniels or run the football? And can the defense stop anyone? The answers to those questions will define Washington’s season.
Team Rankings
#22
Yahoo Sports (Schwab)
No preseason injury was more damaging than the Commanders losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil for all or most of the season. That will affect the entire offense, which didn’t add much in the offseason. This is not how Jayden Daniels wanted to start his third season.
Pro Football Focus (Locker)
Odds to make playoffs: 28%
Odds to win Super Bowl: 1%
The Commanders’ pixie dust ran out in 2025, with injuries to Jayden Daniels and a struggling defense culminating in a 5-12 finish. Washington welcomes in two new coordinators on each side of the ball as well as a bevy of fresh faces like Stefon Diggs, Sonny Styles, Leo Chenal and Odafe Oweh. Daniels’ health, his ability to be protected without Laremy Tunsil and the team’s defensive efficacy will define whether or not Dan Quinn’s bunch can return to the postseason.
FTN Fantasy (Kelley)
2024 showed the ceiling of the Jayden Daniels experience. 2025 showed the floor. We’ll see what 2026 can offer.
#23
The Athletic (Graff/Kendall)
Mock’s projected win total: 7.6
The loss of Laremy Tunsil is big, especially for protecting an injury-prone quarterback. And a joint practice against the Ravens went terribly for the Commanders’ O-line and the offense in general. They signed D.J. Humphries and Stefon Diggs in August, but this team will go as far as Jayden Daniels takes it. And after training camp, it doesn’t seem like it’s going very far.
Sharp Football Analysis (Summerlin)
They added Stefon Diggs, and every snippet about how the Commanders plan to run their offense this season has been promising. The issue is the offensive line might not cooperate with Laremy Tunsil expected to miss most of the season.
The Score
The Commanders’ offense has weapons, but Jayden Daniels will have a tough time getting the ball to them after losing star left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a major injury in training camp. Unless Washington can figure out how to keep the third-year quarterback upright and healthy, it’ll be another long season.
SB Nation
But there are questions with each team. Will the Commanders offensive line be as bad as reports out of training camp sound?
Windy City Gridiron (Leming)
2026 Question To Answer: Who are the Commanders? The team that went to the NFC Championship Game or the 5-12 group who struggled last season. Jayden Daniels’ health and play style might dictate that answer.
Heading into last season, many had Daniels as a strong MVP candidate heading into Year 2. Like Houston, following up a historic rookie year is no easy feat. Their “true self” is probably somewhere in the middle of the last two seasons, but Daniels must stay healthy and show tangible growth in David Blough’s offense. That’s a tough ask for a first-year coordinator with minimal coaching experience.
#24
Walter Football
The Redskins appeared to improve their defense by drafting Sonny Styles and adding a couple of other pieces, including Odafe Oweh, Leo Chenal, and Amik Robertson. Styles, however, has been brutal in training camp and the preseason. Nevertheless, the important thing is Jayden Daniels’ health. If Daniels can remain on the field for most of 2026, the Redskins will have a good chance of making a playoff run, but that might be a tough task considering that several offensive linemen are dealing with injuries, including left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
NFL Spin Zone (Scataglia)
It feels like a century ago that the Washington Commanders were 12-5 and within one game of the Super Bowl. That insane season was followed up by a year which they did a total 180 and finished 5-12.
Part of the problem were mounting injuries, but the roster was also simply not in a great spot, and it seems like that 2024 season was a ‘lightning in a bottle’ year. In the offseason, the front office got active in free agency, but even now, there are still some major concerns.
The offensive line is a mess, and there really isn’t any sort of high-end talent present on offense. QB Jayden Daniels is also coming off a year where he played in just seven games, so he might be someone who is now injury-prone.
It’s just hard to be super optimistic about the Commanders at the moment. Outside of nailing the Daniels’ pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, this current regime hasn’t really done a ton else to be happy about.
Gridiron Experts (Henley)
Washington is far better than these odds suggest, and the gap between the ranking and the betting market is worth watching closely. There is still plenty to prove before anyone moves this team into true contender territory, but the roster is not nearly as far off as a first glance at the number implies.
Kalshi
#25
NFL.com (Reynolds)
Washington have addressed a defense that ranked dead last in the NFL a year ago (in yards allowed). But let’s face it, their playoff chances rest on the exciting, playmaking – but diminutive – shoulders of QB Jayden Daniels, who missed 10 games last term.
USA Today (Davis)
First-time NFL coordinators on both sides of the ball, wholesale personnel changes on defense and major questions on the offensive line after LT Laremy Tunsil tore his triceps last month? Does any team enter Week 1 with more uncertainty than this one?
Bleacher Report
Everyone is eager to see Jayden Daniels return to the form he showcased as Offensive Rookie of the Year two seasons ago.
However, I’m not convinced that having the quarterback healthy and playing at a high level will be enough to return Washington to contention.
This is a team that had serious flaws in 2025 that extended beyond its injury issues. Its offense was short on playmakers, and its defense was the worst in the league in terms of yards allowed.
The Commanders will have to prove they’re better, not just healthier, on both sides of the ball to rise in our power rankings.
#26
CBS Sports (Prisco)
Jayden Daniels is back, but the offensive line is a mess. This is a big year for coach Dan Quinn after changing both coordinators.
Fox Sports (Vacchiano)
They are putting absolutely everything on QB Jayden Daniels and the hope that he’ll recapture his rookie magic. The problem, though, is the offensive line may not be able to properly protect him.
#27
Pro Football Talk
It already feels like it’s just a matter of time before Dan Quinn is relieved of his duties.
#29
The Ringer (Lee)
Whatever optimistic interest I had in Washington’s new-look offense vanished the moment left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps that will cost him most—if not all—of this season. Quarterback Jayden Daniels’s best offensive lineman is now guard Sam Cosmi, and we saw what happened to Daniels and this offense without reliable offensive line play last year. Daniels’s scrambling ability will always be an issue for defenses, but he can’t use it to punish them nearly as often if he’s constantly under pressure or doesn’t have the help of an early-down rushing attack.
New offensive coordinator David Blough will be under the most pressure to change this offense’s trajectory after a rough 2025 season—and he has the poor fortune of matching up against the Eagles and Seahawks defenses in the first month of the season. I can’t imagine this offense will move the ball on the ground against either, so I’ll be watching to see whether he can draw up a good enough passing game to make either match interesting.
#31
NFL.com (Shook)
After losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps and missing center Nick Allegretti for most of August due to a calf strain, things appear rather dire up front for Washington. The Commanders produced a dreadful showing in a joint practice with the Ravens, then followed that up by getting destroyed by Baltimore in the preseason finale. Washington knows it needs to keep Jayden Daniels healthy in order to be competitive, and right now, I’m afraid for the quarterback’s well-being Sunday in Philadelphia.
Where should the Commanders be ranked? Let us know in the comments.
