The Washington Commanders' season continues to spiral. An epic collapse against the Philadelphia Eagles was another example of how quickly this club has fallen from the contenders. Players and coaches are taking the fall for now, but general manager Adam Peters is also complicit in the team's failures.
And there is one massive decision made during the offseason that continues to reek of complete regret.
Peters made a concerted effort to surround quarterback Jayden Daniels with everything he needed. Almost every significant asset was utilized on the offensive side of the football. This came at the expense of defensive enhancements, with the front-office leader relying on aging veterans on relatively cheap deals to keep things trending in the right direction.
Commanders letting Jeremy Chinn leave continues to look extremely foolish
This gamble hasn't paid off. While injuries haven't aided their cause, this is an old, slow defense that cannot do the simple things. There is a complete lack of dynamism or explosiveness, which makes Peters' decision to let standout safety Jeremy Chinn walk in free agency to the Las Vegas Raiders look even worse.
Chinn enjoyed a standout year for the Commanders in 2024. He galvanized his career, providing versatility and physicality to a safety unit that needed a spark. But even though most fans thought the former Southern Illinois standout would be extended, Peters had other ideas.
He thought Will Harris could do the same job for cheaper. The veteran has flashed, but injuries and inconsistencies keep the jury out. As for Chinn? He's been among the rare shining lights for the disappointing Raiders this season. That hasn't helped Las Vegas get out of a massive slump in the grand scheme of things, but he's been worth every cent of the $16.25 million over two years he received last spring.
The Commanders believed Quan Martin was going to break out. They believed Harris had enough traits in common to fill the void left by Chinn. They thought the 2020 second-round pick wasn't worth what the Raiders were offering. Peters was wrong on all fronts.
Couple this with the decision to let Kamren Curl leave in 2024 free agency without even offering him a deal, and it's not hard to see why fans are starting to question his roster moves in the secondary. Hindsight is 20/20, but allowing two highly productive safeties — both of whom are thriving elsewhere — depart the franchise in consecutive offseasons is a stain on his résumé.
Giving this area of the field the attention it deserves in 2026 would be wise. Because whatever Peters has tried so far just hasn't worked.
Changes are coming, and they are needed.