The Washington Commanders made a good amount of offseason moves in 2026, including bringing in new offensive and defensive coordinators. One of general manager Adam Peters' biggest goals was to fix the defense, and that's where most of the Commanders' roster changes took place.
As teams enter training camp and the Hall of Fame game is a week away, The Athletic released a new set of power rankings ahead of the 2026 season. The Commanders checked in at 23.
Last season: 5-12Last ranking: 26What’s new? The defenseWashington signed 11 defensive free agents, and more than half of them are probably going to start, an admission that QB Jayden Daniels’ return to full health won’t be enough without a better defense. The Commanders were 27th in the league
last year in points allowed (26.5), and coach Dan Quinn enters the season on the hot seat.
We won't go so far as to say that Dan Quinn is on the hot seat, but if the Commanders don't perform better in 2026 than they did in 2025, there will be serious discussions about his ability to get the job done. But context matters, and if the Commanders suffer a slew of injuries as they did in 2025, it's unlikely that Quinn's job is in jeopardy.
Still, signing that many free agents, plus adding Sonny Styles in the draft, makes for a difficult path forward. These players have never been a unit before this season, so it's not just about preparing them for the game plan on the field; they have to form connections with each other. Those connections build trust. That trust allows players to anticipate each other's moves and adjust accordingly.
So far, players who have spoken with the media feel that these connections and bonds are already beginning. The unit was beginning to come together before training camp started, and now that it's here, they'll begin to build their on-field connections.
There's plenty of work to do on both sides of the ball for the Commanders to have a successful season, but the defense will make or break it in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders receive no respect latest NFL power rankings
