The Washington Commanders had a significant amount of hard work ahead this offseason. Things completely fell flat in 2025, and drastic action was needed. Fortunately, general manager Adam Peters recognized this as well.
Peters completely gutted the roster in free agency. There was an emphasis on getting younger and more dynamic. The Commanders didn't have many high-end assets at the 2026 NFL Draft, but Washington's front-office leader used them extremely effectively.
Everything looks more promising now. Peters deserves praise for attacking his recruitment with the urgency it demanded. Competition for places has increased, and the stakes have been raised exponentially. And make no mistake; more arrivals will be on the way if the Commanders believe it can help their chances of bouncing back.
Now, the onus is on head coach Dan Quinn and his staff to mold this new-look roster into a competitive group.
There are new schemes to implement after Washington parted ways with Joe Whitt Jr. and Kliff Kingsbury. That will take time, but anyone who doesn't display the right attitude and commitment won't last very long.
With this in mind, we took an early look at how the Commanders' 53-man roster could look after Peters' daring offseason overhaul.
Commanders' early 53-man roster prediction after aggressive offseason overhaul
Commanders' special teams (3)
- Drew Stevens (PK), Tress Way (P), Tyler Ott (LS).
The Commanders' special-teams unit seemed pretty straightforward heading into the offseason. Now, an intriguing development has surfaced that could change everything.
Washington saw enough in veteran kicker Jake Moody to give him another one-year extension this offseason. It was a contentious issue among fans, especially considering the Commanders didn't bring in any competition initially.
That's now changed. Drew Stevens originally accepted an invitation to try out at Washington's rookie minicamp. There was also interest from elsewhere, so Adam Peters covered his bases by signing the undrafted free agent to a deal instead.
Stevens and Moody will now be locked in battle over the summer. Don't be surprised if the former four-time All-Big Ten kicker out of Iowa does enough to beat out the incumbent starter.
Aside from that, the special-teams positions look set. Pro Bowl punter Tress Way is back for another go around, and he is still performing at an extremely high level. The team's longest-serving player is the model of consistency and is deeply respected as a leader. Amid all the changes, this will be a sounding board of stability.
Long-snapper Tyler Ott is also still around. He was solid enough last year, so fans are expecting the same trend to continue.
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