The Indianapolis Colts have already started stripping things down.
Quenton Nelson, the perennial Pro Bowl offensive lineman, has been traded to the Seattle Seahawks, and more moves are reportedly on the way as the AFC South club pivots toward the future. Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner and running back Jonathan Taylor are also candidates to go, and reports say nobody is off limits if the price is right.
That has put the Commanders in an uncomfortable spot. Not because Washington is in the same place right now, but because the Colts’ quick reset is the kind of move the Commanders may eventually have to consider if things keep sliding.
Indianapolis has already fired its general manager and is now trying to stockpile picks after giving up a king’s ransom for cornerback Sauce Gardner. That deal has blown up in their face, and ownership appears to be moving on from any real 2026 optimism. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon is clearly pushing for a reboot.
Washington, by contrast, has not made a move yet. Adam Peters and majority owner Josh Harris are reportedly willing to see how the next two games unfold before making a decision. But if the Commanders can’t beat the free-falling Philadelphia Eagles, with the Los Angeles Rams waiting in Week 9, the tone around the building could change fast.
The larger issue is what comes next if the losses keep stacking up.
For Peters, this is no longer just about squeezing a little life out of another disappointing season. It’s about the long game, about building around quarterback Jayden Daniels and deciding whether this roster needs to be reworked before the deadline forces the issue. Aside from Year 1, the project has stalled.
That’s why the next result matters so much. If Washington drops to 1-5-1 after losing to the Eagles, the picture shifts dramatically.
The Colts have already accepted their reality and acted on it, even if the move was painful. Washington made its own aggressive bets last year, trading for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. None of it has delivered the results the Commanders wanted, and the offseason changes still haven’t translated on the field.
At some point, the Commanders will have to decide whether they’re still trying to patch this thing together or whether it’s time to admit the season is slipping away.
That decision may not wait long. Peters could be forced to think about the bigger picture if the results don’t turn, and there’s also the question of how much he wants to concede after putting this roster together.
Josh Harris has shown he’ll make hard calls before. He traded the starting defensive end duo of Montez Sweat and Chase Young before the 2023 deadline. So there’s precedent here, and there’s also a direct connection to what happens next for head coach Dan Quinn.
If Washington does sell, it has to happen quickly. Interest won’t last forever, and the Colts won’t be the only team looking to move veterans before the deadline. Wait too long, and the market could dry up.
Quinn would no doubt prefer to avoid that kind of collapse. So would Shane Steichen, though the Colts made the decision for him. Peters still has the chance to do the same, but it would require him to face the possibility that he got some things wrong, too.
That’s the part that gets messy. Egos, reputations, and the need to justify the plan all stand in the way.
Still, another loss could take the choice out of his hands. And if Washington can’t change course soon, selling may be the only option.
In Other News...
Commanders Still Have A Few Young Reasons For Hope
A rough 1-4-1 start has left Washington looking for any signs that the early season might not be slipping away, and a few younger pieces have given the coaching staff at least a reason to keep watching. Sonny Styles has been one of the more noticeable standouts on defense, Jayden Daniels has kept competing through injuries and some mistakes, Antonio Williams has added value as a receiver, and Amik Robertson has brought a steadier presence to the secondary.
The defense, in particular, has found some energy from KLavon Chaisson, whose pressure has shown up in ways Washington badly needs as it tries to stop long drives and flip field position. For a team still sorting through a difficult opening stretch, those performances do not fix everything, but they do matter because they suggest the roster is not short on young players worth building around as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinn Faces Pressure In A Game Washington Cannot Waste
The Commanders come out of their bye week into one of the most consequential games on their schedule, a Sunday night divisional matchup with the Eagles at home. Philadelphia is not the same group Washington has spent years chasing. The Eagles have been hit hard by injuries and roster turnover, and this trip comes with a chance for Washington to reset its season against a rival still trying to sort through major changes.
For Dan Quinn, though, the backdrop goes beyond the standings. Washingtons recent form has left little margin for error, and a home game like this is the kind that can shape how the rest of the season is viewed. In a division where every result seems to linger, the Commanders cannot afford to let this one slip away if they want to change the tone around the team. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Harbaugh Is Suddenly Facing Questions Chargers Fans Never Expected
The middle of the NFL season always starts to sharpen the focus on the people on the sideline, and Dan Quinn has found himself in that spotlight as the Commanders try to steady a choppy stretch. Washington has had enough issues on the field to make every decision feel bigger than it should, and the pressure around the coach is only getting louder as the team tries to keep pace in a season that has already delivered too many setbacks.
A recent loss only added to the unease, and the Commanders are now dealing with the kind of ripple effects that can change the tone around a locker room fast. For Quinn, the concerns are no longer just about results, but about how Washington is being managed through the most unforgiving part of the schedule, with every misstep inviting a fresh round of questions about where this team is headed next. [Read more 🡒]