The Washington Commanders aren’t at the point of waving the white flag, but the calendar is moving fast and the trade deadline will force some hard conversations soon enough.
General manager Adam Peters said he has been making and taking calls on trade possibilities. Nothing has advanced yet, but the fact that those conversations are happening tells you Washington could be willing to listen if the season keeps going sideways.
At 1-4-1, the Commanders are not in a position to be shopping for help. That could look different if they come out of the bye and beat the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams. If they don’t, and the record slides to 1-6-1, then Peters may be staring at a very different kind of market.
Two names stand out as possible trade chips if the losses keep piling up.
Ben Sinnott is the first. The Commanders drafted him at No. 53 overall in 2024 with the expectation that he could grow into a long-term complete package at tight end, but that picture has not come into focus.
He has done some useful work as a blocker, yet he still hasn’t earned enough trust to force a bigger role. If Washington starts looking more toward its younger players than trying to hold the line, Sinnott could become part of that conversation.
The issue is whether the Commanders are ready to cut bait this soon on a player they once praised so highly before the draft.
K'Lavon Chaisson is another player who could draw interest if Washington’s season unravels further. The Commanders signed him this offseason, but only to a one-year deal, and there’s still no clear answer on whether they’ll want to keep him beyond this spring.
He has 2.5 sacks, but the production has not been consistent enough to lock down his place. Washington has depth on the edge, which makes the idea of moving him more realistic than it might have looked a few months ago.
Still, dealing away a free-agent addition so quickly would send a message the team may not want to send. Then again, if another team comes calling and the price is right, Peters may have to listen.
In Other News...
K'Lavon Chaisson Is Giving Commanders A Defensive Spark They Needed
K'Lavon Chaisson has been one of the more noticeable defensive additions in Washington lately, and the edge rushers recent run of play is starting to show up on the stat sheet. Over the last two games, he forced two fumbles, matching his career high and giving the Commanders a timely jolt from a position group that needs disruption off the edge. Both loose balls turned into recoveries by teammates Tim Settle and Frankie Luvu, the kind of hidden-impact plays that can swing a game even when they do not dominate the highlight reel.
For Washington, the bigger takeaway is that Chaissons production has come in a relatively short sample, with 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles through six games. The Commanders have been looking for more consistent splash from their pass rush, and Chaissons recent stretch at least gives them a player who is finding ways to affect the ball as well as the quarterback. Whether he can keep that pressure coming is the next question, especially with the defense still trying to establish a steadier identity. [Read more 🡒]
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One of the clearest questions centers on the interior of the defensive line, where Tim Settle Jr. has not delivered the kind of start Washington needed. The Commanders have already been searching for better answers at nose tackle, and the next step may involve a more fluid rotation there as the staff looks for more impact and steadiness in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Still Has One Costly Issue Commanders Can't Ignore
Jayden Daniels has given the Commanders plenty to like early in his NFL career, but the last two games also offered a reminder that even the most promising young quarterbacks get tested by the details. Against the Giants, Washington had a late-game mistake that left points on the field, and against the 49ers there was a play call that drew plenty of second-guessing. Dan Quinn has been open about those moments, treating them as part of the learning curve while making it clear the conversation with his quarterback has already started.
For Washington, the bigger concern is not Daniels talent but how quickly the operation around him cleans up the situational stuff that can swing tight games. Quinn has stressed development and communication, and Daniels overall play still points to a franchise quarterback in the making. Even so, the Commanders are watching closely because the margin for error shrinks fast when a team is trying to turn promise into wins. [Read more 🡒]