Commanders OTAs have begun, providing first looks at all the free-agent signings and NFL draft picks general manager Adam Peters invested in this offseason. Optimism reigns this time of year, especially for a franchise that went 12-5 and then 5-12 in consecutive seasons.
The glory of an NFC championship game appearance is still fresh. So is last season’s disaster. The 2026 campaign’s trajectory is influenced most by quarterback Jayden Daniels’ health.
If he’s available (and Washington’s defense is
serviceable), anything’s possible.
That’s a statement of the super obvious.
There are, however, others who can make or break the 2026 campaign with standout or cringeworthy performances. Those in thin position groups could cause the biggest swings.
Who is that guy on the Commanders? Let’s discuss that topic on this fine Sunday. I’ve come up with a few non-Daniels suggestions – let’s formally take the quarterback out of the equation — feel free to add your own in the comments below.
WR Terry McLaurin
McLaurin’s run of 1,000-yard seasons ended in 2025 despite averaged 15.3 yards per reception on a 63% catch rate, mostly because he missed seven games with a nagging quadriceps injury. The 2026 Commanders receiver corps isn’t currently built to withstand a similar loss. It doesn’t have the depth required to make up for such a massive presence, heightening the importance of his availability. If he’s on the field, McLaurin can dominate. If he’s gone for a prolonged period, the Commanders are in trouble.
EDGE Odafe Oweh
The Commanders bet big, to the tune of $100 million over four years, that Oweh’s an ascending talent capable of even better than he has already produced. He’s the centerpiece of an overhauled Commanders pass rush, and while there’s depth and some established producers in the group (K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu) none possess Oweh’s mix of explosive talent and youth. If Oweh can’t become the dominant force and the Commanders pass rush is pedestrian (or worse), Washington’s defense is in big trouble. If he plays the run well, has double-digit sacks and a high pressure rate that draws attention away from others, this front seven could be ferocious.
CB Trey Amos
There’s optimsim in Washington that Amos can be a top-level NFL cornerback. There were signs of that during a productive 2025 rookie campaign that was cut short by a fractured fibula. While Amik Robertson’s addition will add some stability and there’s hope Mikey Sainristil can rebound from a rough 2025 campaign, the Commanders need a shutdown-type player on the outside. If Amos recovers well from injury and lives up to his potential, that would give the secondary a massive lift. He doesn’t need a massive interception count, but making plays on the ball and being tough when targeted will help set a new standard in the secondary. If he struggles, the Commanders defensive backfield could be in trouble.
K Jake Moody/Drew Stevens
The Commanders re-signed Moody, who had a 90.9% field-goal conversion rate after joining Washington off Chicago’s practice squad. That didn’t stop Peters from adding Drew Stevens as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa. Whoever gets the regular-season gig must be locked in from the jump. The Commanders should be competitive enough that one-score games will be a regular occurrence. Kicking must be excellent in games where every point matters, in an NFC East that could come down to the wire. Washington can’t be giving games away because of the kicker.
