The Commanders spent the offseason trying to fix a defense that finished 2025 dead last in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed. That alone tells you how big the job is in Washington, and it’s why the conversation around the unit now starts with one simple question: how much better can this group get, really?
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport recently laid out best- and worst-case defensive scenarios for every NFL team, and his best-case view for Washington leaned on improvement more than transformation. If the Commanders can climb from terrible to merely so-so, he framed that as a win. That’s not exactly a lofty ceiling, but it does reflect how much ground this defense has to make up.
Washington attacked the problem in the offseason with multiple free-agent signings and the draft pick of Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. The hope is that those additions give the defense a different look after a year that went off the rails statistically.
There’s also a major change on the sideline. Daronte Jones is the new defensive coordinator, and the Commanders will run his scheme.
He now has the most control on that side of the ball, with Dan Quinn still involved, still offering guidance, and still helping players reach their potential. But Quinn’s responsibilities stretch across all three phases, not just defense.
The biggest issue with Davenport’s best-case setup is that it spends a lot of time looking backward. Yes, Washington being better than it was in 2025 would count as progress. But a defense that lands in the middle of the pack still isn’t the standard the Commanders are chasing.
The true best-case scenario is bigger than that. It’s the new pieces fitting in cleanly with the holdovers, staying healthy, and building the kind of chemistry that makes the whole unit sharper than the sum of its parts.
That means learning each other’s tendencies, understanding assignments on the fly, and turning into a group that functions like one connected defense. If that happens, Washington doesn’t just improve - it becomes a unit that can really surprise the league.
In Other News...
Commanders Finally Made The Uniform Change Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Commanders are leaning into a look their fans have wanted back for years, moving their Super Bowl-era throwback design into the primary uniform role for 2026. Along with the refreshed standard set, the team is adding a new all-black alternate called the Hail Raiser, a sharper, more modern look that still fits the franchises recent push to connect its present-day brand with its past.
Owner Josh Harris framed the changes as a way to honor the teams heritage while updating the overall identity, and the early reaction has been strong enough to draw national notice. Sports Illustrated even placed Washingtons 2026 uniform set at No. 8 in the league, a sign that this makeover is landing well beyond the fan base that had been waiting on it. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders May Have Finally Fixed One Of Their Most Frustrating Problems
The Commanders have spent enough time searching for small offensive edges that a better screen game almost feels overdue, and this weeks additions are aimed squarely at that problem. Bringing in Rachaad White and Chig Okonkwo gives Washington two athletic options who can stress defenses in ways the unit has not consistently done, especially in the short passing game where the team has needed more help from its backs and tight ends.
For a young quarterback like Jayden Daniels, the appeal is obvious because cleaner, faster answers can help the offense stay on schedule and force defenses to defend every blade of grass. ESPNs John Keim has pointed to the possibility that these moves could make the attack more diverse, but the real test will come when Washington starts finding out whether those new pieces can turn a long-frustrating area into a reliable part of the plan. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Tough Decision On A Rising Fan Favorite
The Commanders went into the offseason looking for more speed and flexibility at linebacker, and the additions of Sonny Styles and Leo Chenal under Daronte Jones have changed the shape of the room in a hurry. With Jones planning to lean on a 3-4 look, Washington appears set to build around Frankie Luvu and Styles, while Chenal gives the staff a useful piece it can move around depending on the down and the package.
That leaves Jordan Magee in a far different spot than the one many imagined when he emerged late last season as a fan favorite and a possible breakout candidate. The fifth-round pick is still expected to make the roster and be part of the group, but the path to steady defensive snaps is suddenly crowded, and the role that once looked like a clean runway to Bobby Wagners old middle linebacker job now feels a lot less certain. [Read more 🡒]