Ever since the noise from free agency began to slow, all the talk about the Washington Commanders' biggest needs has centered on the wide receiver position.
The team has not yet re-signed Deebo Samuel Sr., but it's still a possibility. This is particularly significant, given that Washington has added only Dyami Brown, Van Jefferson Jr., and third-round pick Antonio Williams this offseason.
Of the three of them, Williams has the best chance to develop into an immediate impact player. There continue to be rumblings that the Commanders could add Brandon Aiyuk, but at this point, is it really worth the drama?
In the meantime, Washington boasts another weapon who could factor into the receiving game, especially if new coordinator David Blough runs the type of offense he is expected to.
Rachaad White could be the de facto extra receiver Commanders desperately need
Given Blough's ties to the Dan Campbell/Ben Johnson coaching scheme, it's expected that his offense will be heavily reliant on pass-catching running backs just as the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears have utilized with Jahmyr Gibbs and D'Andre Swift. Washington might not have one of them, but it does have Rachaad White.
In each of his four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, White caught at least 40 passes for no fewer than 200 receiving yards. His role diminished in 2025 due to the emergence of Bucky Irving, but he is still a skilled dual-threat back who figures to be a key piece in Washington's plans.
One can expect White to be Washington's new Austin Ekeler. He could also be a hyper-charged version of Jeremy McNichols, who is still on the team himself, but may not be by September.
If we assume tight end Chig Okonkwo racks up a similar amount of targets that Zach Ertz did the past two seasons, White is either the Commanders' No. 3 or No. 4 pass-catching option. Of course, this is dependent on how Williams fares in Year 1 of his professional career.
It might sound bleak, but it's the same recipe that Washington used to succeed during its 2024 NFC Championship game run. That team's No. 2 wideout was Noah Brown, and then Dyami Brown in the playoffs after the former suffered a season-ending injury. Otherwise, it was all McLaurin, with Ertz and Ekeler as the secondary options.
It's always great to have depth at wide receiver. But when you have creative play-calling and additional pass-catching weapons at running back and tight end, it's not a necessity.
One of the biggest keys to Washington's offense will be whether White can produce at a high volume. Hopefully, he can deliver after reuniting with his former college quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
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