The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. We’ve seen a flurry of deals over the past few weeks, including three big ones by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday. Jacksonville, at 6-2, is one of the NFL’s top teams and fortified its defense by trading multiple draft picks for defensive tackles Davon Godchaux (Saints) and Jordan Davis (Eagles) and safety Jessie Bates (Falcons).
While the Jaguars are truly going for it, several teams remain in limbo ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. One of those teams is the Washington Commanders. Washington’s coaching staff is firmly in the hot seat, and the team is hanging on by a thread in the NFC East race. A loss on Thursday should have the Commanders already thinking about 2027. You could make the case that
the Washington general manager Adam Peters should already be thinking about 2027, with the Commanders currently sitting at 2-5-1.
Defensive tackle Daron Payne was Washington’s most likely tradeable asset. However, Payne fractured his foot the Friday before the Commanders’ Week 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Jaguars would have been an ideal trade partner for Washington, as seen by Monday’s trades.
With Payne off the board, here are five players that the Commanders should trade by Tuesday’s deadline. Keep in mind, no one is getting more than a Day 3 pick, but Washington could use every pick it can get for the 2027 NFL Draft and beyond.
QB Marcus Mariota
Some teams in the NFL are quarterback-desperate. The Minnesota Vikings are chief among them. Mariota would be an instant upgrade for the Vikings. Washington doesn’t want to trade Mariota. He’s a captain. He’s a leader and beloved teammate. Mariota is also a close confidante of starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. But what if a team offered you a fourth-round pick? You have to do it. If Daniels gets injured again, the season is over anyways. Actually, it’s already over. Sometimes, you just have to make the tough decisions.
WR Stefon Diggs
Like Mariota, we could make the case for keeping Diggs. With Terry McLaurin and Jaylin Lane out for the season, the Commanders have depth issues at receiver. And whether or not Washington thinks it is a playoff team, Peters still wants Daniels to finish strong. Would taking away Diggs be a wise move? If Treylon Burks is healthy, the rest of this season should be about him and Antonio Williams. If you can get a solid Day 3 pick for Diggs from a team like the Rams or Chiefs, you should move him.
OL Andrew Wylie
Wylie is a 32-year-old reserve offensive lineman who can play four spots. He’s played a lot of football. Wylie has appeared in 124 games with 93 starts. He’s started at guard and tackle. The Commanders love having Wylie around. You could make the case that he should be starting somewhere on their struggling offensive line right now. Backup offensive linemen, especially experienced ones, are valuable. A contender could view Wylie as a missing piece for their offensive line. He’s also under contract through 2027.
OLB Dorance Armstrong
Dorance Armstrong is in the final year of a three-year contract he signed in 2024. He’s been pretty solid for Washington. Unfortunately, his best NFL season ended with an ACL injury in Week 7 last season. He returned in 2026 and looks completely healthy again. He was terrific in the Week 7 win over the Eagles. NFL teams are always looking for pass-rushing depth. Armstrong can help someone.
CB Mike Sainristil
We’ve heard rumblings that other teams are interested in Sainristil. However, we’ve also heard that the Commanders want to work things out with the former second-rounder. How can Washington work things out with Sainristil if he can’t even get on the field? He’s played one combined defensive snap over the last two games. He’s the fourth cornerback. It’s not happening in Washington. We may have already seen the best of Sainristil. One thing is certain: he could use a change of scenery, and if the Commanders could even get a late-round pick for him, they should do it.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 2026 NFL trade deadline: 5 players Commanders should move
