Jeremy Reaves - Commanders S
The Washington Commanders will once again be relying heavily on veteran safety Jeremy Reaves this season. Nick Cross is the main man on Daronte Jones' back end, and Quan Martin has also earned a role. However, the special-teams ace is valued highly in the building.
Reaves leads from the front. He may have some deficiencies, but he never backs down from a fight. How Jones utilizes him against the Eagles remains to be seen, but it seems like it could be a tough afternoon at the office.
With Cross expected to play a little closer to the line of scrimmage, the onus will be on Reaves to provide support in coverage whenever he is on the field. And if that involves having to keep tight end Dallas Goedert quiet, the South Alabama product will have to be at the very top of his game.
Goedert may have lost some explosiveness, but he's ultra-dependable in the middle of the field. He is also a supreme red-zone threat, as evidenced by his career-high 11 touchdowns during the 2025 season.
Reaves isn't one to shirk a challenge, but the Commanders can rotate Martin or maybe even Tyler Owens into the mix if needed. And it might have to be a collective effort, with rookie wideout Makai Lemon also set to operate from the slot.
Javon Kinlaw - Commanders DL
The Commanders need more from Javon Kinlaw. After giving him a lucrative contract in free agency last season — a move that was widely criticized by fans and analysts alike — the defensive lineman underwhelmed. That has to change this time around.
Kinlaw is eager to work with improved personnel in a scheme suited to his outstanding physical attributes. He'll be operating as a 3-4 defensive end in Daronte Jones' system, potentially on the right-hand side of the line. If this proves accurate, a tough test awaits him at Lincoln Financial Field.
Philadelphia has some concerns on offense. The offensive line is not one of them. If Kinlaw is deployed from the right as expected, he'll come face to face with Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata.
Mailata might have his hands full with Odafe Oweh on the edge, but Dickerson is a formidable blocker in his own right. Kinlaw is relishing the prospect of locking horns with a divisional foe to begin the campaign. But after failing to back up his big talk last season, his actions will speak far louder.
It's put-up-or-shut-up time for Kinlaw. And he's got the chance to put the entire league on notice if he can get the better of his individual battle in Week 1.
Unlikely, but not impossible.
Add us as a preferred source on Google