The NFL trade deadline is moving fast, and Washington looks like a team that should be thinking more about the future than about salvaging the present.
While the Jacksonville Jaguars made a bold push on Monday, sending multiple draft picks out in deals for defensive tackles Davon Godchaux and Jordan Davis and safety Jessie Bates, the Commanders remain stuck in the middle. They’re 2-5-1, their coaching staff is firmly in the hot seat, and a loss on Thursday would make the case for looking ahead even stronger. In fact, you could argue general manager Adam Peters should already be planning for 2027.
That urgency matters because Washington’s most obvious trade chip may no longer be available. Defensive tackle Daron Payne had been the likeliest player to move, but he fractured his foot the Friday before the Commanders’ Week 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
With Payne off the board, Washington still has a few players who could bring back Day 3 picks before Tuesday’s 4:00 p.m. ET deadline.
One name that stands out is quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Commanders don’t want to move him.
He’s a captain, a leader, and a close confidante of starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. But quarterback-needy teams are out there, and the Minnesota Vikings are described as chief among them.
If someone is willing to offer a fourth-round pick, Washington has to listen. As the source puts it, “If Daniels gets injured again, the season is over anyways.
Actually, it’s already over. Sometimes, you just have to make the tough decisions.”
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs belongs in the conversation too. Washington is already thin at receiver with Terry McLaurin and Jaylin Lane out for the season, so moving Diggs would not be painless.
Still, the idea here is simple: if the Commanders can land a solid Day 3 pick from a contender such as the Rams or Chiefs, they should consider it. The thinking is that if Treylon Burks is healthy, the rest of the season should be about him and Antonio Williams.
Andrew Wylie is another player who could interest a contender. He’s 32, can play four spots, and has logged a ton of football - 124 games and 93 starts.
He’s worked at both guard and tackle, and while Washington values him, that kind of experienced reserve lineman can be exactly what a playoff team is hunting for. He’s also under contract through 2027.
Dorance Armstrong makes sense as a trade candidate as well. He’s in the final year of the three-year deal he signed in 2024, and he’s been solid for Washington.
After his best NFL season was cut short by an ACL injury in Week 7 last year, he returned in 2026 and looks fully healthy again. He was excellent in the Week 7 win over the Eagles, and pass-rushing depth is always in demand.
Then there’s Mike Sainristil. Other teams have reportedly shown interest, even though Washington wants to work things out with the former second-round pick.
The problem is playing time. He has one combined defensive snap over the last two games and is currently the fourth cornerback.
The source says it plainly: it’s not happening in Washington. If the Commanders can get even a late-round pick for him, they should take it.
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