The Commanders need more weapons.
This is all we have been hearing from the national and local media and, of course, the fans.
Much of the offseason focus was trying to get a true complement opposite receiver Terry McLaurin in an attempt to get quarterback Jayden Daniels more weapons.
Although those efforts went largely unrewarded, there is some reason for fans to be optimistic about what Washington currently has on the team.
Training camp started this week and the talk still centers around Washington
adding another offensive weapon to the roster — and there is a chance they very well may.
The national media is projecting veteran Stefon Diggs to Washington, while Brandon Aiyuk is projecting himself as a Commander.
But what if the offensive weapons fans so desperately desire are staring us right in the face?
Weapons, you say? I’ll give you weapons!
Before we dive head-first into the offensive weapons Washington currently has, let’s first talk a bit about scheme.
This new offense that coordinator David Blough is set to roll out projects to be run-focused, with multiple tight end sets. This could mean heavy doses of 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends), and even some three tight end looks. With each tight end added, you can essentially assume a wide receiver is subtracted. If Blough uses a heavy dose of 12 personnel, that means just two wide receivers would be on the field.
I’m not pointing this out to try and diminish the need for more playmakers at the wide receiver position, however It’s definitely something that has to be factored in when accounting for weapons in this new-look offense.
Now, onto the fun part…
Weapons
Quarterback: Washington has one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the league in Jayden Daniels. Only Lamar Jackson may be considered more lethal as a runner, either by design or when the defense turns their back on him in the passing game.
Getting a true weapon more weapons is a fun problem to have!
Running back: Bill Croskey-Merritt was a bit one-dimensional as a rookie, catching just nine passes for 68 yards. So, what did Adam Peters do? He signed veteran Rachaad White. The 27-year-old has averaged 51 receptions, 363 receiving yards and three touchdowns per season over his four-year career.
Don’t forget, both of these backs are capable of toting the rock as well, with Croskey-Merritt collecting 805 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, while White had a 990-yard, six-touchdown year his second season in Tampa Bay. Bill has home-run speed, while White, who is not quite as fast, is no slouch in that department either.
Tight end: This is where things begin to get fun…
Adam Peters needed more from the tight end room in an offense that is projected to feature a lot of underneath routes designed to produce chunks of YAC. He went out and signed the 6’3” 238-pound Chig Okonkwo to act as Blough’s new JUMBO receiver. Yes, you are reading this right – I did say JUMBO receiver!
Chig is a 4.5-second 40-yard-dash guy who excels with the ball in his hands after the catch. He offers very little as a blocker, so calling him a true tight end is a bit of a stretch, however, he forced 13 missed tackles (4th best among tight ends in the NFL) while his 345 yards after the catch were ninth best last year in Tennessee, so he’s very capable of creating yards with the ball in his hands.
Aside from Chig, Washington also has third-year pro Ben Sinnott. He was the No. 53 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but was used sparingly by former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury during his first two seasons. He can double as an H-back operating out of the backfield but, athletically, he profiles like today’s Move-TEs, with a 4.68 40, a 40-inch vertical and a 6.82 3-cone drill. When he has been targeted, he has produced!
Receiver: Terry McLaurin is coming off a down, injury-plagued season which saw him play in just 9.5 games, posting career lows in receptions (38), yards (582) and touchdowns (3). At 31, Terry may not be the same explosive athlete he was early in his career but make no doubt about it – he’s still a weapon on the outside.
Peters swung for the fences in free agency, reportedly prepared to offer Colts WR Alec Pierce a massive deal. Ultimately, Pierce wound up re-signing in Indy. Peters was also in on Packers free agent receiver Romeo Doubs, who would up in New England. Peters was forced to settle on veterans Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson, with the draft just around the corner.
There were definitely eyes on Carnell Tate (fourth overall to the Titans) and Jordyn Tyson (eighth overall to the Saints) in the draft, but Peters sat tight and landed what he felt was a first-round talent in Antonio Williams at pick 71.
At a tad under 6-0 and now around 190 pounds, Williams ran a 4.41 40 at the combine, while posting nearly 40” in the vertical. He’s known as a savvy route runner who can operate on the outside or from the slot and is dangerous with the ball in his hands after the catch. He had a down year in 2025 on a Clemson offense that certainly wasn’t clicking on all cylinders, but if you look at his 2024 season, you’ll see the talent the young man possesses (75 receptions, 904 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns).
Some others to watch are:
- Dyami Brown – deep threat who has some rapport with Jayden
- Luke McCaffrey – big-bodied receiver who has inside/outside versatility and good speed/quickness
- Treylon Burks – former first rounder who can win with play strength
- Jaylin Lane – blazer who is still learning the nuances of the position
*As of this writing, there is still a chance Washington adds another player to the wide receiver room.
12/21 Personnel Scenario:
QB: Jayden Daniels
RB: Rachaad White
TE/Jumbo WR: Chig Okonkwo
TE: Ben Sinnott
WR: Terry McLaurin
WR: Antonio Williams
With the above lineup, you don’t know what Washington is going to do. With two TEs (one who does well as a blocker), and a capable runner in the backfield in White, Blough could choose to run outside zone if Jayden sees a six-man front. If the defense chooses to stack the box, Washington has two outside threats in McLaurin and Williams, a mismatch threat against a safety or linebacker in Okonkwo and a dangerous weapon out of the backfield in White who can beat most linebackers in this league in the open field.
The beautiful part of this look is playaction. Washington can line up under center with Sinnott in the HIP and show OZ left, only to have Jayden pull and have Terry, Antonio and Chig on a high-to-low vertical read (backside post, bang 9-route to clear and deep out). If Jayden likes what he sees, he can pull the trigger. If he sees open field, he can tuck it and run.
In this scenario, who does the defense give the attention to? Who may be the guy who gets bracketed?
11 Personnel Scenario:
QB: Jayden Daniels
RB: Bill Croskey-Merritt
TE: Ben Sinnott
WR: Terry McLaurin
WR: Antonio Williams
WR: Luke McCaffrey/Treylon Burks
In this scenario, the Commanders again have a lot of options. With Sinnott in as a more “traditional” TE, we have the ability to put him in-line, in the HIP, or even split as a “MOVE” TE without giving up anything play-calling wise. Croskey-Merritt may not offer the same receiving threat out of the backfield as White, but as a pure zone runner, he would be a threat to make a house-call on every carry. McLaurin, Williams and McCaffrey/Burks are all good blockers, so this keeps the run game open from traditional 11 personnel.
If Washington is behind the sticks and need to air it out, we have nice high/low options and some big-bodied threats. What I really love about this grouping is the versatility it affords at both TE and WR. I’ve already mentioned the different ways Blough can line Sinnott up without giving away his play call. The same versatility can also be applied to this wide receiver group. McLaurin is more of a true outside threat, but he can be motioned basically anywhere pre-snap to create an ideal mismatch. We know Williams can be an inside/outside weapon, and the same can be said for McCaffrey and Burks. The Commanders have guys who can win with speed, guys who can win with advanced route running and guys who can win with play strength/body type. It’s really a truly beautiful combo! And don’t count out Jayden creating with his legs.
Do the Commanders have the necessary weapons to compete for the NFC East title? Can this group earn a playoff win? Do you feel we are still lacking and need to add another piece to be able to compete? Can two athletic tight ends be greater than one “aging” wide receiver?
Let your thoughts be heard in the comments section.
