The Washington Commanders kept their season from slipping away on Sunday Night Football, and that changes the conversation around what comes next. After a rocky opening against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dan Quinn’s team settled in and walked away with a comfortable win, keeping itself in the NFC East race and giving Adam Peters a decision to make.
That decision could cut two ways. Some fans think the Commanders should be sellers, especially with injuries to Daron Payne and Terry McLaurin complicating the picture. But if Peters decides the team has enough life left to push for a stronger finish in the second half, a trade deadline swing would not be out of the question.
One area that stands out is receiver help. McLaurin is out for the season with a torn patellar tendon, and while the Commanders have gotten solid production from Stefon Diggs, Treylon Burks, and third-round rookie Antonio Williams in his absence, there is always room for more playmaking.
Josh Downs fits that idea. The Indianapolis Colts receiver recently asked for a trade, and with the Colts looking to stockpile assets for a rebuild, he could be available.
Downs has never been viewed as a true WR1, but the talent is there for more if he lands in the right setup. Washington could offer that with Jayden Daniels at quarterback, and a reported asking price of a fourth-round pick would not be a major obstacle.
The trenches may be the other place Peters looks if he wants to buy. Payne is done for the year, and Javon Kinlaw is dealing with a knee injury that the team is handling carefully.
That puts extra pressure on the defensive front, and it could push Washington toward a short-term fix. Dalvin Tomlinson is one name to watch.
The Los Angeles Chargers are sitting at 0-7, though their defense has held up, and reports indicate they do not plan to move players before the deadline. Still, Tomlinson would give the Commanders a useful boost if Kinlaw misses extended time.
He knows the NFC East from his days with the New York Giants, and while he is not the same disruptive force he once was, he still has the size and strength to matter in a 3-4 front.
In Other News...
Jaguars Suddenly Have A Brian Thomas Jr. Debate They Never Wanted
Brian Thomas Jr. looked like one of Jacksonvilles cleanest building blocks after a strong rookie debut, but his second season has brought a different conversation. The Jaguars still have support from the coaching staff and Trevor Lawrence, yet Thomas has seen his production and playing time dip in 2024, and his place in the offense now looks less secure than it did a year ago.
For a receiver who arrived with real long-term promise, that kind of slide naturally invites outside interest, and trade chatter has already started to swirl around him. Several teams have been mentioned as possible fits, which only adds to the sense that Jacksonville may have to decide whether Thomas is still part of the core or a name worth listening on if the right offer comes along. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Trade Deadline Talk Just Got Real After A Telling Roster Shift
The Commanders trade deadline chatter picked up after a notable roster wrinkle in their recent game, when Mike Sainristil did not take a defensive snap. For a team already juggling concerns along the interior offensive line, at defensive tackle and at running back because of injuries and availability issues, that kind of usage shift naturally invites questions about how general manager Adam Peters might try to balance the roster in the coming days.
Nothing is official yet, and Washington is still in the stage of weighing options rather than making moves. But with the deadline approaching and the roster showing clear pressure points, the conversation around possible upgrades has become more than idle speculation, especially if Peters decides the best path forward is to deal from a position of relative depth to patch a more urgent need elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Face A Bigger Test Than Their Win Streak Suggests
The Rams arrive in Week 9 on a two-game win streak, but their trip to face Washington carries more weight than the recent results suggest. Los Angeles has managed to steady itself after an uneven start, while the Commanders are coming off their second win of the season and still trying to sort themselves out in a crowded NFC East race.
Even with the Rams dealing with a long injury list, they still look like a team that can stress opponents in multiple ways, which is part of what makes this matchup tricky for Washington. The betting market reflects that uncertainty, and the Commanders will need to be sharper than their record indicates if they want to keep this one from turning into another test of how far they still have to go. [Read more 🡒]