The Washington Commanders are heading into 2026 with a forecast that’s all over the map, and the noise around them has gotten louder since last month’s Stefon Diggs signing and Laremy Tunsil’s triceps tear.
That swing in mood has been dramatic. One minute, there was real buzz about what this team could be.
The next, reports about Washington’s struggles to protect quarterback Jayden Daniels in training camp opened the door for the gloomy crowd to take over. Around the league, some analysts have started treating a bad year for Washington like the default setting.
CBS Sports joined the conversation by putting the Commanders in the over/under market at 7.5 wins for 2026, the same number DraftKings Sportsbook set. CBS’ Zach Pereles landed on the under.
“Under 7.5 (-125). Things were looking up for a potential bounce-back year before Laremy Tunsil and others got hurt, and the lack of top-end talent and depth got exposed.
Jayden Daniels should thrive in David Blough's new system, and Washington is hoping both Blough's and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones' schemes make the sum greater than the parts. But Washington faces a brutal schedule and simply has too many holes at crucial positions, such as offensive line and cornerback.”
That’s not a wild take, and it’s not hard to see where it comes from. Tunsil’s injury absolutely changes the picture.
But Washington does have Brandon Coleman waiting there, and he already handled the spot as a rookie two seasons ago. He’s not Tunsil, of course, but he played well there then, and the expectation is that he should be better now.
The bigger worry up front is center. Nick Allegretti is in the middle of the conversation now, and the Commanders are banking on him to justify Adam Peters’ trust.
The question is whether he can stay on the field, because he missed almost all of training camp. That absence also exposed just how thin Washington is on the interior.
Still, there’s plenty here to like if you’re trying to build a case for the Commanders being more than just a mess waiting to happen. Daniels is the centerpiece, and he now has the best group of offensive weapons he’s had since entering the NFL.
On the other side of the ball, Washington is faster and improved. If the team can stay relatively healthy, that defense should be better.
Corner remains a concern, but Daronte Jones’ scheme is built on pressure, and that should help the secondary.
The schedule is the real crusher early on. Washington’s first six games are brutal, and that stretch may tell the whole story.
If the Commanders can somehow get to 3-3 in that opening run, they’ll have a real chance to get back to the playoffs. Fall short of three wins there, and the season could get ugly fast.
That’s what makes Washington such a tough team to pin down right now. Heading into Week 1, they may be the NFL’s most mysterious team.
In Other News...
Taylor Heinicke Just Earned A Career Honor Commanders Fans Will Appreciate
Taylor Heinickes football journey has come full circle in a way Washington fans can appreciate. The former Commanders quarterback officially retired in 2024 after an 11-season NFL career that included stops with several teams, but his roots in the sport still run through Old Dominion, where he became one of the programs defining players.
Old Dominion will retire Heinickes No. 14 jersey during halftime of its Oct. 15 game, and it will be the first jersey retirement in school football history. For a player who built his reputation as an underdog and carried that legacy into the NFL, the honor adds another notable line to a career that already meant plenty in Norfolk and in Washington. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Is Stuck In An LSU Drama Commanders Fans Will Notice
Jayden Daniels has become part of an LSU off-field dispute that Commanders fans will recognize as more than a college-football sideshow. The former Tigers quarterback, now in Washington, is at the center of a disagreement with LSU over the handling of his old No. 5 jersey, after the school reassigned it to another player. It is the kind of college-era legacy issue that can linger long after a player moves on, especially for someone whose name still carries weight in Baton Rouge.
The story picked up more traction when Daniels' camp pushed back over LSU's use of his name, image and likeness, and former Tigers stars have not exactly lined up in unison behind him. Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu have both weighed in, adding another layer to a mess that is as much about program tradition and player respect as it is about one jersey number. For Washington, it is a reminder that Daniels' profile reaches well beyond the NFL, and the fallout from that LSU debate is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Put David Blough In A Spotlight He Can't Escape
The Commanders coaching overhaul this offseason put David Blough in a much bigger role, with Washington promoting him to offensive coordinator after keeping Dan Quinn and bringing in Daronte Jones to run the defense. Blough is entering his third coaching year, all of it with the Commanders, and the move puts him squarely in the middle of how Washington wants to shape its offense going forward.
ESPNs Bill Barnwell recently put Blough on a list of NFL coordinators facing significant pressure in 2026, pointing to the shifting style of quarterback play across the league. For Washington, the stakes are obvious: Bloughs success matters not just for the offense, but for a staff that is trying to stabilize itself, and for Quinns job security as well. [Read more 🡒]