Winner No. 2
Javon Kinlaw - Commanders DL
The Washington Commanders didn't get much from interior defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw during his first season with the club. He was labeled a massive free-agent overpay at the time, and nobody got off that thought after an underwhelming campaign.
Washington didn't have much choice but to give Kinlaw another shot. Moving to a 3-4 defensive end within Daronte Jones' system brought intrigue, and the first four games have given him the spark he needed.
Kinlaw's been among Washington's top-performing players so far. He is generating significant push off the line of scrimmage, becoming a disruptive force against the run while also generating far more pressure than he did last season.
Oh, and the South Carolina product also gained his first sack since joining the Commanders.
This is much more like it from Kinlaw. He's never lacked confidence, but he's backing it up now. After being ridiculed in 2024, things already look much different in 2025.
Loser No. 2
Nick Allegretti - Commanders OL
The Commanders placed significant faith in Nick Allegretti this offseason. Fans were perplexed by Adam Peters' approach, and just four games into the campaign, they've been proven right.
Allegretti missed training camp after suffering a calf strain in the first practice. He started the season poorly at center, and the Commanders signed Lucas Patrick to potentially fill the void. The pressure was on, but Washington wasn't going to wait around for much longer.
After a subpar effort at right guard when filling in for Sam Cosmi, the Commanders benched Allegretti in Week 4 in favor of sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin. This could have waited one more week, given the rookie had no business being on the field, but Washington wanted to send a message.
It's not Allegretti's fault.
He didn't ask for a free run at the starting center job, and he didn't ask for a contract extension ahead of time either. Allegretti's failures over the first two years didn't justify this move in the slightest, but Peters did it anyway.
Winner No. 3
Sonny Styles - Commanders LB
Sonny Styles is the real deal. The Commanders got lucky when he fell out of the top five and into their laps at No. 7 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Adam Peters didn't hesitate to bring him into the building.
Styles is a unique athlete. He's got all the measurables, his testing at the NFL Scouting Combine was off the charts, and his supreme football intelligence just set him apart from the rest.
This raised expectations. After facing unfair preseason criticism, Styles was ready to show what he was truly capable of.
And the linebacker has delivered so far.
It hasn't taken Styles long to hit the ground running. The Ohio State product looks like he belongs, and he's almost always in the right position to make plays. He is a three-level, three-down force, and the Commanders have seemingly struck gold with their first-round selection.
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