Another day, another analyst predicting doom and gloom for the 2026 Washington Commanders. This time, one NFL analyst said he believes that the “Commanders could be the worst team in the NFL.”
Mike Tanier of the “Too Deep Zone” has shared his outlook for Washington multiple times this summer, and in his latest mailbag, he says the Commanders had a “miserable offseason.”
The Commanders are projected to win 7.7 games by DVOA. I think they have had a miserable offseason, despite adding Stefon Diggs. The cavalcade of 32-year old acquisitions I have been dunking on all summer leaves me with little faith about the quality of the front office and the lower tiers of the roster. Dire tales from joint practices make me wonder about the reconfigured coaching
staff.
First, let’s address the “cavalcade of 32-year-old acquisitions.” In the previous article he linked, he mentioned training camp roster depth as a part of this “cavalcade of 32-year-old acquisitions.” Players like Daniel Brunskill, Max Scharping, River Cracraft, and Matt Haack — all of whom have been cut. Others he listed have also been released, including Trent Scott (practice squad), Will Harris, Antonio Hamilton, Van Jefferson, and Craig Reynolds (practice squad). Sure, others certainly fit the bill, such as Rasul Douglas, Byron Cowart, and Fabian Moreau, but these players are backups/depth.
Others, such as Terry McLaurin, remain one of the NFC's best wide receivers, and Stefon Diggs (a 32-year-old cavalcader) is coming off a 1,000-yard season. Then there is quarterback Marcus Mariota (32), one of the NFL’s better backup quarterbacks.
Tanier makes some good points, too. For example, the Commanders should have been loading up on late-round picks and UDFAs to add to the bottom of the roster.
Here’s what Tanier said regarding the bottom of the roster:
The Commanders needed to do a better job self-scouting the bottom half of their roster and creating competition among younger players in 2025 and this offseason. They should have stockpiled late-round picks and UDFAs and given the ones they did have better opportunities to win roster spots and roles. One or two come-from-nowhere contributors would make their roster look a lot less like the result of an end-of-free-agency shopping spree.
These are fair points. In the last two drafts, with a shortage of picks, GM Adam Peters has refused to trade down and accumulate multiple picks. Meanwhile, divisional rival Philadelphia, with the NFC East’s best roster, stockpiles picks every year. No, you’re not going to hit on every pick, but the more shots you take, the chances improve of landing a starter or contributor.
But let’s get back to Tanier’s original point. A miserable offseason? How many Washington fans, or anyone in the local media, actually believe it was a miserable offseason? You know, the folks who watch and follow the Commanders much more closely. By all accounts, Washington did several good things, signing defenders like Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, Leo Chenal, and Nick Cross on defense, while adding Chig Okonkwo, Rachaad White, and Diggs on offense.
Of course, these moves do not guarantee success. However, all of these players, outside of Diggs, are in their 20s and on their second NFL contract. Each is considered an ascending talent.
Then the Commanders added Sonny Styles, Antonio Williams, and Joshua Josephs in the NFL Draft. Washington was really old last year. So, in one sense, the Commanders got much younger, and certainly faster.
Tanier could still be correct. Washington could be the NFL’s worst team in 2026. You never know. That’s why they play the game. The Commanders could also be competitive, as long as Jayden Daniels remains healthy.
We’ll close on this one. Tanier again mentioned “dire tales” from joint practice. He’s clearly referencing the tweet read around the world, calling Washington’s offensive line “inoperable.” Former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen threw some cold water on that, saying the Commanders’ staff was using the joint practice as a way to experiment with different offensive line combinations while multiple starters were out. It failed miserably, but joint practices are the right time to find out what depth you have.
Those “dire tales” certainly do not mean new coordinators David Blough (offense) and Daronte Jones (defense) are in over their heads.
Is it Week 1 yet?
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: One analyst has harsh assessment of 2026 Commanders
