The NFL trade deadline is creeping up fast, with teams needing to make their calls by Nov. 10.
For Washington, the next fork in the road comes even sooner, right after its Week 9 game against the L.A. Rams.
By then, the picture around this Commanders season should be much clearer.
That’s why the coming stretch matters so much. If Washington can’t string together wins soon, the conversation could turn from buying to selling in a hurry. ESPN thinks general manager Adam Peters could still make a small move either way, and Bill Barnwell has projected the Commanders would deal from a position of depth.
In Barnwell’s scenario, Washington sends Andrew Wylie to New England for a 2027 sixth-round pick. The idea is simple: the Patriots are in need of help up front, while Wylie has become expendable in Washington.
Barnwell laid out the case for the swap this way:
“It’s rare to see a team nearly run out of linemen in an NFL game, but the Patriots came close last week. With Mike Onwenu already sidelined and Will Campbell playing despite a knee injury, New England lost Alijah Vera-Tucker, Morgan Moses and Ben Brown during a win over the Jets, leaving the defending AFC champs with a mere five healthy offensive linemen. The line made it through the rest of the contest, and Moses could be back this week, but the Patriots are remarkably thin up front.
Adding a versatile lineman to the mix makes a lot of sense. Wylie can play right tackle or either guard spot, allowing him to fill in across the lineup with relative ease. He’s buried on the Commanders’ depth chart and has played just 15 snaps this season despite the absence of left tackle Laremy Tunsil, which caused Brandon Coleman to move to the left side.
With multiple sixth-round picks, the Patriots can afford to ship one off to add a veteran. And the Commanders could turn to practice-squaders Trent Scott or Esa Pole, who filled in for the Chiefs at left tackle last season, as their swing tackle after Wylie’s departure.”
In Other News...
K'Lavon Chaisson Is Giving Commanders A Defensive Spark They Needed
K'Lavon Chaisson has been one of the more noticeable defensive additions in Washington lately, and the edge rushers recent run of play is starting to show up on the stat sheet. Over the last two games, he forced two fumbles, matching his career high and giving the Commanders a timely jolt from a position group that needs disruption off the edge. Both loose balls turned into recoveries by teammates Tim Settle and Frankie Luvu, the kind of hidden-impact plays that can swing a game even when they do not dominate the highlight reel.
For Washington, the bigger takeaway is that Chaissons production has come in a relatively short sample, with 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles through six games. The Commanders have been looking for more consistent splash from their pass rush, and Chaissons recent stretch at least gives them a player who is finding ways to affect the ball as well as the quarterback. Whether he can keep that pressure coming is the next question, especially with the defense still trying to establish a steadier identity. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinns Bye Week Reset Could Hit One Commanders Starter Hard
The bye week has given Dan Quinn a chance to take a hard look at a defense that has not been close to the standard Washington expected, and the reset could extend beyond game-planning. Quinn has brought in Steve Wilks to help with defensive planning, a sign the Commanders are not treating this as a routine midseason tune-up but as an opportunity to rethink how the front is deployed after a rough stretch.
One of the clearest questions centers on the interior of the defensive line, where Tim Settle Jr. has not delivered the kind of start Washington needed. The Commanders have already been searching for better answers at nose tackle, and the next step may involve a more fluid rotation there as the staff looks for more impact and steadiness in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Still Has One Costly Issue Commanders Can't Ignore
Jayden Daniels has given the Commanders plenty to like early in his NFL career, but the last two games also offered a reminder that even the most promising young quarterbacks get tested by the details. Against the Giants, Washington had a late-game mistake that left points on the field, and against the 49ers there was a play call that drew plenty of second-guessing. Dan Quinn has been open about those moments, treating them as part of the learning curve while making it clear the conversation with his quarterback has already started.
For Washington, the bigger concern is not Daniels talent but how quickly the operation around him cleans up the situational stuff that can swing tight games. Quinn has stressed development and communication, and Daniels overall play still points to a franchise quarterback in the making. Even so, the Commanders are watching closely because the margin for error shrinks fast when a team is trying to turn promise into wins. [Read more 🡒]