The Commanders may not be done dealing before the trade deadline, but the direction they take could hinge on what happens Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. General manager Adam Peters still has a path to add more Day 3 draft capital, even after a major blow to Washington’s trade plans.
That blow came when defensive tackle Daron Payne, once viewed as Washington’s most movable piece, fractured his foot in practice just days before the Week 7 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The injury ended his 2026 season and took away what would have been the Commanders’ best shot at landing extra picks in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Even so, Bill Barnwell of ESPN pointed to two deals that could still make sense for Washington.
One name is backup guard/tackle Andrew Wylie, who Barnwell linked to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wylie has the kind of profile teams can use in a pinch: he can play both guard and tackle, and he has 17 playoff starts on his résumé.
The 32-year-old has barely been needed in Washington this season, logging just 17 offensive snaps even after Laremy Tunsil’s preseason injury. Barnwell noted that Walker Little and Cole Van Lanen have handled left tackle for Jacksonville over the last 12 months, which could make Wylie a useful backup at guard and an insurance option at right tackle.
For Washington, the logic is straightforward. Wylie is in his fourth season with the team, has started plenty of games at both guard and tackle, and brings value because of that flexibility.
But if another club is willing to send back a pick, the Commanders have a real decision to make. If they still believe they’re alive in the NFC East race, keeping him around also makes sense.
Barnwell’s other suggestion sends cornerback Mike Sainristil to the Kansas City Chiefs. He wrote that “[Chiefs GM Brent] Veach has preferred to take low-cost shots on young cornerbacks from other organizations in years past, trusting defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to develop them into useful contributors.
Struggling Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil would qualify as an opportunity to land a young contributor on the cheap. He was very good as a rookie before taking a step back in 2025 and another in 2026.
Sainristil originally came into the league as a slot option before earning a starting role on the outside; could the Chiefs move Sainristil back inside and get more out of the 2024 second-round pick?”
That possibility also fits the Commanders’ situation. Sainristil has struggled over the last two seasons and has not shown signs of turning it around.
He is limited physically, and his confidence appears to have faded. He did not play a single snap at cornerback last week.
At that point, Washington has to ask whether it makes more sense to move on, take back something in return, and stop waiting for a rebound that may not come.
In Other News...
Commanders Face An Awkward Mike Sainristil Question At Trade Deadline
The trade deadline always creates a little noise around players who are not quite fitting the way the team hoped, and Mike Sainristil has become one of those names in Washington. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently pointed to Sainristil and Dorance Armstrong as possible candidates to watch, a reminder that the Commanders could face some uncomfortable roster decisions as the deadline approaches.
Sainristil, a 2024 second-round pick, has seen his role and production dip this season, and he has spent most of his time on special teams lately. Even so, the Commanders have not opened trade talks involving him, and the current plan is to keep working with him rather than move on from a player they still believe can be part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinn Addressed The Final Play Commanders Fans Are Still Questioning
The Commanders 20-13 loss to the Rams at home left plenty to sort through, especially with Jayden Daniels working behind a depleted offense and trying to keep Washington afloat against a defense that kept pressing. Even in defeat, there was some encouraging resistance on the other side of the ball, with Matthew Stafford limited to 228 yards, but Puka Nacua still found enough room to hurt Washington with 150 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Dan Quinn was asked about the final play that had fans buzzing, a short throw that became the subject of immediate second-guessing. Quinn pointed to the Rams blitz as the reason the ball came out where it did and made it clear he was not pleased with how the play was carried out, leaving the late-game sequence as one more painful detail in a loss that already had enough of them. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Peters Faces A Defining Call As Commanders Hit A Crossroads
The Commanders are approaching a stretch that could shape how aggressively Adam Peters works the trade market, with the front office watching closely as the team tries to steady itself before the 2026 deadline. Injuries have thinned the roster and complicated the depth chart, leaving Washington in a spot where every game now carries extra weight for a team trying to stay in the playoff conversation.
A key matchup with the Rams looms as a useful checkpoint, not just for the standings but for the bigger question of what Peters should do next. If Washington can keep its record moving in the right direction, the deadline could become a chance to add help rather than simply endure the attrition, but a setback would only sharpen the pressure on a general manager already facing one of his most consequential calls. [Read more 🡒]