Ja'Corey Brooks - Commanders WR
The Washington Commanders have a lot of solid yet unspectacular wide receivers behind Terry McLaurin. That'll increase competition for places further down the depth chart, but Adam Peters still needs to find a legitimate No. 2 and potentially more before the regular season arrives.
Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson Jr. are the only new faces so far. Treylon Burks re-signed, and the Commanders haven't lost all hope with Luke McCaffrey or Jaylin Lane. None of these moves the needle all that much, so even if Brandon Aiyuk does eventually join, going down the draft route is all but guaranteed.
The Commanders are not in the business of sentiment with so much at stake next season. Ja'Corey Brooks was a feel-good story last summer, but it wasn't enough to make the team. He stuck around on the practice squad, featuring once in the regular season. Considering Jacoby Jones was clearly preferred when injuries hit, the practice squad might be his ceiling once again.
Ale Kaho - Commanders LB
The Commanders needed more energy in their linebacker room. Moving Frankie Luvu to his off-ball role should help enormously. Washington remains high on Jordan Magee in a crucial third season for the player. But with Bobby Wagner leaving a gaping hole, Adam Peters needed another impactful presence.
Leo Chenal provides precisely that. His work as a rotational second-level presence and special teams ace with the Kansas City Chiefs indicates he could thrive with additional responsibilities on his shoulders. And the Commanders may not be done with reinforcements just yet.
Speculation continues to grow that Ohio State prospect Sonny Styles will be the pick at No. 7 overall if he makes it that far. Others are also noticeably lower down the draft board, so it'll be an anxious wait for those creeping towards the roster bubble before things are decided.
Ale Kaho is among them. The undrafted free agent performed relatively well when called upon last season, especially on special teams. His athletic traits could develop further, but he may also fall victim to the numbers game.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste - Commanders DE/OLB
Fans were demanding action on the defensive edge. Adam Peters neglected this critical position group during the 2025 offseason, and it played a leading role in the Commanders' undoing. One could point to the injury issues that decimated the group, but more attention was desperately needed.
Peters duly delivered. Odafe Oweh was the big splash. K'Lavon Chaisson is aiming to build on a genuine breakout campaign with the New England Patriots. Charles Omenihu is a Super Bowl winner who can provide Washington with a versatile rotational threat. This is precisely what the team's fan base had in mind.
Dorance Armstrong Jr. should have an important role to play once he gets the all-clear to resume football activities. Much will depend on how many edges the Commanders take through, but for Javontae Jean-Baptiste, the margin for error has completely vanished.
Jean-Baptiste also got hurt early in the campaign. The 2024 seventh-round pick needs to recover effectively and hit the ground running this summer to reaffirm his importance to the rotation.