Noah Igbinoghene - Commanders CB
The Washington Commanders were rumored to be shopping Noah Igbinoghene before the season, and then again shortly before the 2025 trade deadline. Nothing materialized, which is just as well considering the injury problems this team has faced in the cornerback room.
Marshon Lattimore suffered a torn ACL, and his time in Washington could end during the offseason. Second-round rookie Trey Amos will be back, but he'll need to recover fully from his long-term knee complication to resume his role as a starting-caliber option on the boundary.
Igbinoghene's been playing a lot more recently. He's given up 66.7 percent of targets thrown in his direction and a 95.1 passer rating when targeted. The 2020 first-round pick out of Auburn often flashes briefly, so finding the consistency that earned him a new deal earlier this year is imperative down the stretch.
Even so, it seems unlikely he'll get an extended stay in Washington beyond the campaign, although Igbinoghene is young enough to fight for his place.
George Fant - Commanders OT
The Commanders have gotten some tremendous returns from their offensive line in difficult circumstances this season. Adam Peters' trade for Laremy Tunsil was as advertised, and No. 29 pick Josh Conerly Jr. overcame a shaky start to prove his worth as a long-term right tackle for the franchise.
Washington finally has a bookend tackle tandem for the first time since Trent Williams and Morgan Moses were around. Unfortunately, that's left George Fant on the fringes for most of the campaign.
Fant arrived relatively late in the summer at the organization. The veteran was a highly consistent performer at the peak of his powers. But as is the case with most edge enforcers at the tail end of their NFL journeys, production started to dip.
It became clear from the outset that Fant would be an insurance policy and nothing more. And when the spring arrives, he could be facing the prospect of retirement.
Nick Bellore - Commanders LB
Nick Bellore isn't getting any younger, and his good work often gets overlooked in the grand scheme of things. The veteran linebacker carved out a highly productive niche for himself as a special-teams ace, and head coach Dan Quinn has been quick to praise his influence and overall leadership behind the scenes.
Unlike most players on this list, Bellore is under contract next season. He is also going to be 37 years old in the not-too-distant future, so the Commanders could look to go younger when push comes to shove.
Bellore offers nothing on the defensive rotation at the twilight of his NFL journey. The Commanders don't trust him enough. Washington also has some younger, dynamic players who could fill his void on special teams.
It could legitimately go either way, in all honesty. But even though Bellore's role is highly underrated, age is not on his side.