Throughout last season and into the offseason, the refrain for the Washington Commanders has been about fixing a defense that allowed the most yards in the league in 2025. They have gone a long way to achieving this objective.
Joe Whitt Jr. is out as defensive coordinator after two seasons, with Daronte Jones replacing him. Meanwhile, Washington signed edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson, linebacker Leo Chenal, safety Nick Cross, cornerback Amik Robertson, and more.
With the NFL Draft fast approaching, it's suddenly the offense that looks sub-optimal, particularly the wide receiver room. For general manager Adam Peters and his staff, there may need to be a shift in priorities.
Commanders can't neglect their offense in the draft amid long-term uncertainty
Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier of 106.7 The Fan argue that after the events of the past few months, the Commanders have more needs to address on offense than defense. There might be a point to be made.
The Washington Commanders' offense heavily relies on Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin. It begs the question if offense should be just as big of a prioriity in the draft as the defense. #NFL #Commanders pic.twitter.com/2og5bbsM4q
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) April 17, 2026
In free agency, the Commanders added tight end Chig Okonkwo to replace Zach Ertz and Rachaad White to replace Austin Ekeler. But they also weren't able to land a new starting center after inexplicably releasing Tyler Biadasz, and their wide receiver unit behind Terry McLaurin looks bleak.
Treylon Burks is currently projected as Washington's No. 2, followed by Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, Van Jefferson Jr., and Dyami Brown. Brandon Aiyuk has been linked to the Commanders. But as of now, McLaurin is the only above-average wideout on the roster, and he's coming off of an injury-plagued season in which he compiled a career-low 58.2 receiving yards per game.
All of this needs to be taken into consideration when the Commanders use their No. 7 overall pick. If not, then certainly in the third round at No. 71.
Carnell Tate is the latest in a long line of Ohio State wideouts who figure to become a Pro Bowl-caliber player at the NFL level. If he is unavailable, then Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson might be worth a look.
There is also the chance that Washington uses its top-10 selection on Notre Dame phenom Jeremiyah Love to give quarterback Jayden Daniels a dynamic backfield threat. Drafting a running back in the first round is always risky, but if the Commanders believe they can compete in the short term, he could unlock their offense.
It remains to be seen which direction Washington's braintrust will go. But while the defensive side of the ball has been addressed, the Commanders' offense needs to get better before the start of the 2026 season.
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