It's been an eventful offseason for the Washington Commanders. General manager Adam Peters hasn't had time to breathe, making significant roster alterations that were desperately needed after such a disappointing campaign.
Now, attention is slowly turning to on-field preparations. Washington's rookie minicamp is upcoming. After that, it'll be OTAs, mandatory minicamp, training camp, and the preseason. The urgency is increasing, and the stakes are enormously high to put the foundations in place for an immediate bounce back.
Players will be pushing for places. New free-agent signings will be aiming to impose themselves immediately. Draft picks and undrafted free agents will be eager to force their way up the depth chart. Those already under contract will fight with everything they have to retain their spots.
Commanders' starting safety opposite Nick Cross is a position battle to watch
There are so many fascinating storylines to intrigue. Fans also have a training camp battle they never asked for, but it's worth monitoring closely nonetheless.
Most were expecting a complete overhaul of the safety unit this offseason. Instead, Peters only brought one legitimate starting upgrade into the squad. Nick Cross signed for what could be a bargain, but the spot opposite him is still very much up for grabs.
This indicates a level of faith in the options already around. Not many came close to meeting expectations in 2025, but coordinator Daronte Jones' vision for the defense means all hope is not lost just yet.
Unless undrafted rookie Malik Spencer defies the odds, the Commanders have Quan Martin, Will Harris, Jeremy Reaves, Tyler Owens, and Percy Butler. All boast strengths and weaknesses, but these should also be interchangeable depending on the in-game situations.
The Commanders remain bullish on Martin, even after his complete capitulation last time around. Harris should progress with a better run of luck on the health front. Reaves could feature prominently again after getting another early extension. Owens is the wildcard, and Butler looks like a special-teams player.
Obviously, a lot can and will change in the coming months. The Commanders have enough spare salary-cap space to acquire another veteran if Peters isn't entirely satisfied with how things are unfolding. But for now, Jones is willing to give those who played last season the benefit of the doubt.
It's an opportunity they cannot afford to miss.
Martin, Butler, Harris, and Owens are all entering contract years. They are playing for their depth-chart standing and for their long-term futures in Washington. And make no mistake; any further failures will not be tolerated.
This is a sink-or-swim situation. And fans will find out a lot more about what this safety group is made of as preparations for the new campaign take center stage.
May the best man win.
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