The Washington Commanders are entering the 2026 season with a clear mission: fix the defense, or risk another year of frustration. With Dan Quinn now at the helm, the Commanders have a defensive-minded head coach who knows what it takes to build a disruptive unit.
But the blueprint isn’t just about Xs and Os-it’s about philosophy. And for Washington, it starts with one word: aggressiveness.
Turnovers: The Starting Point, Not the Solution
Let’s be clear-this defense doesn’t need a minor tweak. It needs a full-on identity shift.
In 2025, the Commanders forced just 10 turnovers, ranking 31st in the league. That’s a staggering number in all the wrong ways.
But while turnovers are a symptom of a defense that’s not doing its job, they’re not the only measure of success. They are, however, the place to begin.
Aggressiveness doesn’t mean recklessness. It’s not about sending the house on every play and hoping for the best.
It’s about calculated chaos-bringing pressure in creative ways, disguising coverages, and forcing offenses into mistakes. That’s the kind of defense Quinn has to build.
Blitz Rate: Time to Turn Up the Heat
If you want a model for what that looks like, just look at what Minnesota did last season. The Vikings led the league in blitz rate at a wild 48%, a full 15% higher than the next team.
That’s not just aggressive-that’s a statement. The Commanders, by contrast, sat middle-of-the-pack, tied for 15th at 26.6%.
That number has to rise. Daronte Jones, the team’s new defensive coordinator, comes from that blitz-heavy Vikings system.
So the expectation is that this won’t be a slow transition-it should be built in from Week 1. But dialing up more blitzes is only part of the equation.
You can’t just send pressure-you have to make it count.
Takeaways: Make the Ball the Mission
Here’s where things get ugly. The Commanders didn’t just struggle to create turnovers-they were historically bad at recovering fumbles.
They had just two all season. That’s not a typo.
Two. The next-worst team had twice that.
You almost have to try to be that ineffective at ripping the ball out.
Compare that to the Bears, who grabbed 23 interceptions, or the Vikings, who led the league with 13 fumble recoveries. Those defenses weren’t just reacting-they were attacking.
And that’s the shift Washington has to make. It’s not just about blitzing the quarterback; it’s about going after the football with intent.
Jones teaches drills like the “Stab Drill,” where defenders are trained to punch the ball out when attacking from the front side. That kind of technique has to become muscle memory. The Commanders don’t just need more turnovers-they need to hunt them.
Free Agency Focus: Get to the Quarterback
The Commanders’ defensive line didn’t live up to expectations last year, and if they want to be more aggressive, they need a consistent pass rush. That means targeting the right players in free agency.
Trey Hendrickson is the biggest name on the market, but at 31 and coming off an injury-riddled season, he’s a risky bet. Instead, the smarter play is Jaelan Phillips.
At 27, he’s entering his prime, and he’s already shown he can produce in a system like Vic Fangio’s, which demands versatility and quickness. Phillips had two sacks and 27 pressures after being traded to the Eagles midseason-proof that he can adapt quickly and make an impact.
If Phillips slips through their fingers, Odafe Oweh is a solid Plan B. He’s also 27, has upside, and is starting to build a reputation as a disruptive presence off the edge.
The Draft: Rueben Bain Jr. or Bust?
Free agency can only do so much. The Commanders also need to hit on the draft, especially when it comes to upgrading their pass rush.
Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. should be at the top of their board. He’s exactly the kind of explosive, high-motor edge rusher this defense needs.
NFL analyst David Jeremiah has the Commanders passing on Bain in favor of linebacker Sonny Styles. That would be a mistake.
If Washington lands Phillips in free agency, pairing him with Bain could give the Commanders a fearsome one-two punch off the edge. Dorance Armstrong already provides depth, but adding Bain would give them a true difference-maker.
Now, trading up to get Bain might be tricky. The Commanders don’t have a ton of draft capital.
But if there’s a way to make it happen, they should pull the trigger. If not, Texas Tech’s David Bailey is a worthy alternative.
Some draft experts even prefer him to Bain. Either way, Washington needs to come out of the draft with one of those two.
Speed Kills-and the Commanders Need More of It
Aggression without speed is a recipe for disaster. You can’t fly to the ball if you’re five yards behind the play.
And that was a recurring theme for Washington last season. The defense looked slow, both in reaction time and in raw athleticism.
That has to change. The Commanders need to get younger, faster, and more dynamic across the board.
That means moving on from aging veterans who can’t keep up, and targeting speed in both free agency and the draft. Yes, that could leave them vulnerable to power-running teams, but that’s a trade-off worth making-especially if they keep their strongest run defenders in place.
Speed allows aggression. And aggression, when executed correctly, creates turnovers, pressures quarterbacks, and changes games.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 season is a turning point for the Commanders. With Dan Quinn leading the charge and Daronte Jones designing the attack, the pieces are in place for a defensive resurgence.
But it won’t happen by accident. It’ll take a shift in mindset-toward speed, toward pressure, and most importantly, toward a defense that doesn’t wait for mistakes but forces them.
If Washington can build that kind of unit, they won’t just be better-they’ll be dangerous.