Chris Paul - Commanders OL
The Washington Commanders let Chris Paul test free agency after his much-improved performances in 2025. He didn't rule out a return, but the interior offensive lineman also wanted to see if he could cash in on a surprising turnaround.
Interest in Paul wasn't especially high, and he returned to the Commanders on a one-year deal. The Tulsa product got the chance to start again after Laremy Tunsil's injury forced Brandon Coleman to the outside, which was supposed to be the perfect platform for an even bigger payday next spring.
Things haven't gone well, to put it mildly.
Paul has strong hands, but his movement is extremely slow. He is making too many mental errors, and his lack of awareness is another problem area holding him back.
It's starting to look like Paul's performances last season were a flash in the pan rather than the start of anything more encouraging. His 45.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 75th out of 77 qualifying guards. While these marks aren't the gospel by any stretch, they fairly reflect how things are unfolding.
Dan Quinn is not happy with the protection in front of Jayden Daniels. Paul is in the firing line, but this would involve Nick Allegretti filling his spot, which is a bad movie fans have seen before.
Jeremy Reaves - Commanders S
Jeremy Reaves is a locker-room leader and fan favorite. The veteran safety is seeing more action than ever in the defensive rotation this season, which is a testament to his work ethic and resolve to fight back against the odds.
Reaves' heart is immeasurable. He clawed his way from undrafted irrelevancy coming out of South Alabama to carve out an almost decade-long career for himself in Washington. But objectively speaking, his performances have been nowhere near the required standard in 2026.
While Reaves has had some decent moments and is never lacking effort, the quality is sometimes missing. His positional sense can often be exposed, but he is much more consistent in coverage these days.
Realistically, the Commanders value Reaves too much to bench him. However, if there was ever a time to see what Tyler Owens can do from a prominent role, this is it.
Washington has been reluctant to involve Owens, preferring to save him for special teams. That's been a subject of fierce debate among the fan base, but the Commanders have not budged from this stance as yet.
That means Reaves will probably stay heavily involved, despite his obvious limitations. But it'll be interesting to see if he can raise his consistency now that Nick Cross is alongside him again.
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