Adam Peters wants to improve the Washington Commanders' pass-rushing options, and rightfully so. The general manager neglected this critical area of the field during his second offseason at the helm, and the team suffered greatly. That strategy must take a seismic shift this time around.
Relying on ring-chasing veterans with one or two more good years left is not an option. The Commanders have to get younger. They have to get more explosive. They have to get more dynamic. Anything less is organizational malpractice after how things unfolded during the previous campaign.
The Commanders have six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, so that is a potential route Peters could go down at some stage. Washington's front-office leader could also have north of $100 million to spend in free agency, and there is an urgent need to be aggressive with quarterback Jayden Daniels entering Year 3 of his rookie contract.
Commanders should think twice before targeting Trey Hendrickson in free agency
Not every pending free agent will hit the open market. Trey Hendrickson might be the biggest name, given that his long-standing relationship with the Cincinnati Bengals soured dramatically. Interest in his services would be high, but the Commanders have enough reasons to go in a different direction.
Hendrickson topped the league in sacks for two straight seasons in 2023 and 2024. Things didn't go nearly as well last time around, with frustrating injuries restricting him to just seven contests after a contract standoff with the Bengals during the offseason.
Acquiring Hendrickson won't be cheap, either. According to Spotrac, the former Florida Atlantic game-wrecker is expected to get $25.44 million per season on a two-year, $50.89 million deal. His representatives may also want guarantees for the third year, which makes it a risky proposition given that he just turned 31.
While Hendrickson's previous accomplishments need no introduction, he is approaching the tail-end of his career. This is the sort of player Washington should be looking to avoid, especially given the money involved. That's without factoring in his potential fit within Daronte Jones' system, as the new defensive coordinator is expected to switch the Commanders to a 3-4 base defense.
Hendrickson is a good player. If he leaves the Bengals, he'll be highly motivated in a new environment. At the same time, this doesn't quite fit into what the Commanders should be doing this offseason.
If things had gone better during the 2025 campaign, it would be a different story. But unfortunately, the NFL's oldest roster fluffed their lines in the worst way imaginable.
Giving Hendrickson's agent a call to see what sort of financial commitment he's looking for wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. But Commanders fans hoping the player joins might be out of luck when push comes to shove.