The Washington Commanders went into their bye week with a pile of issues staring them in the face, and the pressure is squarely on head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters. Quinn has to get everyone moving in the same direction. Peters, though, is the one steering personnel, and that means the roster construction, the game-day decisions, and the fallout from both land on his desk.
There were good calls early in Peters’ run, but the shine has worn off. The Commanders’ 2024 offseason began with promise, yet several of the moves since then have gone sideways fast. These are the six risky gambles that make it look like Peters trusted the wrong instincts.
One of the clearest problems is the backfield. Washington chose a committee approach and never found a true centerpiece.
Peters bet on depth over a bell cow, but the results haven’t followed. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was ineffective before landing on injured reserve, Rachaad White hasn’t provided enough, and Austin Ekeler is still working his way into form after arriving late.
Jeremy McNichols can help on special teams, but that’s about where the value ends. Kaytron Allen and Robert Henry Jr. are now gone, and without Jayden Daniels, the rushing production would look even worse.
This is a spot that has to be reworked in the offseason.
The Commanders also had plenty of draft capital in the 2024 class, with five Day 2 picks spread across the second and third rounds. Peters had the chance to reshape the roster in a big way, but those swings haven’t connected.
Johnny Newton has spent more time sidelined than contributing. Mike Sainristil’s drop-off is a major concern, and trust in him has clearly faded.
Ben Sinnott has not developed into a TE1, which makes all three second-round picks look like misses.
The third-round group hasn’t provided much relief either. Brandon Coleman has shown flashes, but his limitations are hard to miss.
Luke McCaffrey remains buried on the receiver depth chart and only found his way onto the game-day roster because injuries forced the issue. Given how much Peters needed this draft class to work, especially after Ron Rivera’s poor drafting, the fact that it still hasn’t come together is a bad sign.
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Commanders Suddenly Have A Bigger Jacory Croskey-Merritt Question Than Expected
Jacory Croskey-Merritt went from seventh-round draft pick to one of the more encouraging young players on Washingtons roster almost immediately, playing in every game as a rookie and starting seven while piling up more than 800 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Even with the Commanders offense dealing with line issues and a thinner backfield after Kaytron Allen was released, Croskey-Merritt looked like someone who had at least given the team a legitimate building block at running back.
This season has been a much different story, with his production slipping and Washington now having to navigate the position without him in the lineup. Bleacher Reports recent ranking of the 2025 running back class only adds to the bigger-picture concern for the Commanders, because the question is no longer just whether Croskey-Merritt can rediscover his rookie form, but where he really stacks up against the rest of that draft class moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Still Have A Few Young Reasons For Hope
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Sonny Styles has also emerged as one of the more encouraging developments on the defense, doing the kind of work that shows up all over the field even when the teams results do not. Add in KLavon Chaissons pressure off the edge, and the Commanders can at least point to a handful of players who have made a difficult opening stretch feel a little less bleak, even if the bigger turnaround is still waiting to happen. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Bye-Week Scouting Trip Put Offensive Help In Focus
A Commanders scout was in Austin for the Texas-Ole Miss matchup over the bye week, a reminder that Washingtons attention is already turning toward ways to help the offense. The Longhorns and Rebels offered plenty of talent to evaluate, with quarterback Arch Manning helping Texas win the game and several skill-position players giving evaluators something to track beyond the final score.
The names on the board fit Washingtons obvious needs, especially at running back and wide receiver, where Ole Miss back Kewan Lacy and Texas options like Raleek Brown, Ryan Wingo and Cam Coleman are all part of the conversation. Injuries complicated some of the evaluation, but the trip underscored the kind of college talent the Commanders are likely to keep circling as they look ahead, even if nothing official has been made public. [Read more 🡒]