The Washington Commanders are gearing up to return from their bye week, and a monumental effort is needed to salvage some semblance of respectability from the campaign.
Head coach Dan Quinn acknowledged that everyone was deflated and needed a break. Hopefully, it has the desired effect down the stretch, and getting some influential players back from injury would also help greatly.
There is no chance of the Commanders making the playoffs. They are 3-8 and way behind the contenders in every conceivable way. This is all about assessing the roster from here on, and how the players respond in the face of significant adversity will go a long way to determining their futures beyond the campaign.
Adam Peters has a lot of hard work ahead this offseason. The Commanders need to regenerate their roster urgently, and this starts with getting younger. Aside from a select few franchise cornerstones, everyone has something to prove. And make no mistake; those in power will be watching extremely closely.
With this in mind, here are seven Commanders players whose futures in Washington hinge on their performances at the business end of the campaign.
Commanders players whose Washington futures ride on the final six games
Jake Moody - Commanders PK
The Washington Commanders made one notable change after their dismal Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, Spain. The defeat represented one bad game too many for Matt Gay, and the veteran kicker was released just a few months after signing a lucrative deal in free agency.
Adam Peters had a contingency plan in mind, signing Jake Moody off the Chicago Bears practice squad. The front-office leader knows the player well from their time together on the San Francisco 49ers. He also hit a game-winning field goal to beat the Commanders earlier this season, which didn't go unnoticed.
This represents a six-game audition for Moody to prove he can man the position long-term. Washington has struggled to find a solution to this ongoing frailty since the new regime took charge, so this is the latest desperate attempt to solve what's become a frustrating riddle.
Moody has experience. His 76.1 field goal percentage, also hitting 98 percent of his extra points throughout his career, is a decent enough return. The Commanders want to see if he can improve their fortunes. If he cannot meet the required targets, Peters will be on the hunt for yet another kicker when the 2026 offseason arrives.
And it could go either way.
Eddie Goldman - Commanders DL
The Washington Commanders' defensive line interior received a massive investment this offseason. Adam Peters gave Javon Kinlaw a three-year, $45 million contract with $30 million guaranteed, which was expected to fill the void left by Jonathan Allen after his prolific time with the franchise concluded.
Kinlaw has flashed, but nothing more. Daron Payne's been decent, but the Commanders could deem him expendable next spring. Johnny Newton remains on the rotation and has not met his pre-draft billing as yet. As for Eddie Goldman? The savvy veteran has shown much more promise.
Goldman was expected to be a depth piece at best after joining the Commanders in free agency. He's surged into an important role, providing a fierce asset against the run, with a robust base that can move linemen off their spots.
Even though the Commanders need to get younger this offseason, Goldman is a few more good performances away from getting another deal.
Treylon Burks - Commanders WR
The Commanders' receiving corps has massively underachieved this season. Availability is a primary factor behind their demise, with Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, and Luke McCaffrey all missing considerable time throughout the campaign.
This has provided opportunities for others. Fringe players have become starters, and those looking for new opportunities have been given lifelines. One of those is Treylon Burks, who joined the Commanders recently after being cast aside by the Tennessee Titans.
Burks is a physically imposing wideout who never put it all together in Tennessee, thanks in no small part to some frustrating injuries. The Commanders believe there is something to salvage, and his flashes during two games before missing Week 11 through injury represent a solid foundation from which to build.
If Burks gets back and manages to make an impact after the bye week, the Commanders could extend him to see if further development arrives with a full offseason under his belt in Washington.
Darnell Savage Jr. - Commanders S
The Commanders are experiencing some difficulties at the safety position this season. And judging by head coach Dan Quinn's decisions in his first game as the defensive play-caller against the Miami Dolphins, he is growing increasingly frustrated with Quan Martin's efforts.
Martin was expected to be a legitimate breakout star in 2025. He hasn't come close to meeting these expectations, with his poor coverage, support, and woeful tackling becoming an ongoing frustration throughout the campaign. Quinn reduced his involvement considerably in Week 11, and Darnell Savage Jr. was the primary beneficiary.
Savage was a late arrival to the squad this season. He's flashed immense promise, but he lacks the physicality Quinn typically looks for in his defensive backs. With Will Harris expected to return from injury sooner rather than later, the first-round pick out of Maryland is about to find out what the Commanders really think about his long-term outlook.
Deebo Samuel Sr. - Commanders WR
The Washington Commanders were right to send a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Deebo Samuel Sr. Adam Peters knew the player well. The general manager also knew how much he could help the club despite concerns about his conditioning and locker-room attitude.
None of that has cropped up in Washington, even with the team struggling. Samuel has stayed professional, and the Commanders have tasked him with a lot as Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, and Luke McCaffrey remain on the shelf. Peters' decision not to trade him before the 2025 deadline suggests that a new contract could be on the horizon next spring.
That could legitimately go either way right now. Samuel will be 30 soon, and Peters might not want to make another massive financial commitment after paying McLaurin. It'll be interesting to see what happens, but a prolific end to the campaign will only help his chances.
Noah Igbinoghene - Commanders CB
There was intense trade speculation around Noah Igbinoghene both before the campaign and the 2025 deadline. Nothing eventually materialized, and the athletic cornerback will now get an extended audition to carve out another year with the Commanders down the stretch.
The Commanders' cornerback unit is decimated by injuries. Four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore is out indefinitely with a torn ACL, and he might not play for the Commanders again. Second-round rookie Trey Amos' promising first campaign also came to an abrupt halt, giving Igbinoghene more involvement along the way.
The first-round pick out of Auburn has logged more than 50 percent of the team's defensive snaps over their last two contests. Igbinoghene has performed relatively well, but a massive effort is needed over the final six games to book his place on Washington's squad in 2026.
Anything less, and the Commanders might go in a different direction.
Chris Paul - Commanders OL
The Commanders needed to take drastic action on their interior offensive line early in the campaign. Things were not clicking, and the coaching staff could see it a mile away. Both guards were replaced, with Andrew Wylie moving to the right and Chris Paul being installed at left guard.
Paul found a way to stick around, entering the final year of his deal this summer. The seventh-round pick has never cemented a starting berth, so putting more on his plate was a calculated risk by the coaching staff. It's paid off handsomely, and the former Tulsa star could potentially secure his status with the club next year with a strong end to the campaign.
His 81.0 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranks second league-wide among all qualifying guards. Paul's run blocking has been subpar at times, but his overall performance has represented a massive step forward. If the same trend continues, a new deal will be waiting next spring.