With the coaching staff intact for the 2025 season, the Washington Commanders can turn their attention to the free-agent market. And in the process, the Commanders must fix a fatal flaw during the NFL offseason.
The Commanders managed to put together an impressive 12-5 season despite a defense ill-equipped to handle even a marginal NFL offense. Need proof? Just look at the game against the Saints. An injury-devastated offense roared back and nearly stole a win in a 20-19 decision that kept the Commanders’ season from falling into disarray.
And the main reason the Commanders traveled deep into the playoffs came from the outstanding play of quarterback Jayden Daniels. Imagine what the Commanders could do with an above-average performance week in and week out from the defense.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels needs defensive help
Furthermore, here’s the kicker. The Commanders don’t have to field a lock-down defense. All they need to do is produce turnovers. If Washington wins the turnover battle with Daniels getting extra possessions, it will be a tough team to beat.
The biggest void areas came from edge rushers and cornerbacks. The Commanders couldn’t mount a pass rush throughout the season, which meant opposing quarterbacks had more time for their receivers to get open. And they didn’t have to take chances or risk turnovers very often. (Not sure what happened to Jared Goff in the playoffs against the Commanders, but it can only be categorized as a fluke).
Commanders general manager Adam Peters said the team will look at everything, according to commanders.com.
“I know it’s a boring answer, but … we’re going to look at every single day as getting better each day and doing what’s best for the team and trying to get back up.”
Head coach Dan Quinn has been credited with creating a great culture in Washington. However, it take talented players to succeed at the highest level of the NFL. Still, Quinn said his team enjoyed 2024.
“I just know that they enjoy that time that they spend together,” Quinn said. “And if you can create that as a team and really fight your off for it, that’s the type of environment we want to foster as often as we can.
“I didn’t want them to miss that and lose that because having great team chemistry is a part of a championship run. And they know exactly what that looks like.”
But the end result still reads as a 55-23 loss to the Eagles. And that’s a huge defensive problem that must be fixed prior to the beginning of the 2025 season.
Commanders don’t need defensive plans, they need talent
It’s not a scheme situation, unless the Commanders are simply clueless about that part of football. Quinn said the Commanders knew what to do against Saquon Barkley prior to Sunday’s game, according to commanders.com.
“He can test all the gaps,” Quinn said. “There could be a time, okay, I got mine. But I see him starting to go back and I’ll go make the play. And he can stick his foot in the ground and even come back again. So, the discipline to do it over and over is a big deal. And it sounds easier to stay in your gap. They’re also a really good offensive line. So, it’s not just stationary things to say. And so doing it over and over is the really big piece.
“And so, he’s got great change of direction. So, owning your leverage and tackling is a really big deal. Because if you miss it much like we’re guarding each other in basketball and I lost my leverage and you go past me, that’s no different in gap control. You keep your leverage because if you lose it on him, it could be a big play.”
Below-average NFL players can’t hold up against a back like Barkley. And that’s why the biggest part of this issue will be what Peters can bring to the table. Will he be able to sign the right players to make the Commanders’ defense a competitive unit?
Certainly Peters has street credibility, according to nytimes.com.
“(Adam) is fantastic,” said a league source following the hire. “He’s experienced, thoughtful, intelligent, intellectually curious and empathetic. He has been through different successful buildings. He knows many different ways of, ‘What it should look like.’ In a few years, we will discuss him as one of the top-tier GMs in the NFL.”
Adam Peters has endorsement from Kyle Shanahan
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan also backed Peters.
“(Adam) grinds it, man,” Shanahan said. “He’s very deliberate. He works on it all year round. By the time I get into the draft situation, Adam has been working on it all year. And you can tell he knows all the players, knows their history and leaves no stone unturned.”
The Commanders must sign at least one standout offensive lineman, or draft one. They must improve the wide receiver room. If they do those two things, and Daniels stays at his current level or improves, that means one thing. The defense will decide whether or not the Commanders can reach the Super Bowl.
