The Washington Commanders harbored grand plans to cement their place at the NFL's top table this season. An aggressive offseason made them one of the Super Bowl favorites, and they were widely perceived as a team on the rise with limitless potential.
Nobody saw what was coming next. The Commanders endured more hardship than most. They couldn't sustain any momentum, and injuries decimated a once-promising roster. Head coach Dan Quinn didn't lose the locker room, but recent reports suggest that all wasn't as it appeared behind the scenes.
Fans have been waiting a long time for the offseason to arrive. Adam Peters is widely expected to make significant changes to both the playing personnel and the coaching staff. Quinn's job is safe for now, but that won't be the case for much longer if the Commanders don't make the desired improvements next season.
It's an uncertain but exciting time. It's a time for reflection, for consolidation, and finally putting the long-term strategy in place for sustainable growth. Peers was right to push his chips into the middle last year. However, the pendulum must shift toward becoming younger and more dynamic during his third recruitment period at the helm.
For some, this officially marks the end of the road in Washington. With this in mind, here are 10 Commanders players who definitely won't be back in 2026.
Commanders players who definitely won't be back in 2026
Andrew Wylie - Commanders OL
The Washington Commanders' offensive line has been a bright spot this season. They are hard to find, but the protection provides a solid foundation for building the offense next season.
That won't be good news for everybody.
Andrew Wylie could be among those permitted to take his chances elsewhere. He lost his starting spot this season when the Commanders drafted Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 29 overall. The experienced pro stepped into the breach and played well at the right guard position until Sam Cosmi returned, but he's a fringe player when everyone is healthy.
Good offensive line depth is hard to find, so a situation could emerge where Wylie gets another short-term deal with the Commanders. However, the Super Bowl winner may want to explore possibilities to start elsewhere, and the tape he's put together this season gives him a fighting chance of doing just that.
Wylie was solid during his three years in Washington. Still, this seems like a good time for both parties to go their separate ways.
Von Miller - Commanders OLB
Von Miller was a statement signing. The veteran edge rusher was way past his prime. Still, without many years left in the league, he chose the Washington Commanders because he genuinely believed that this was the best environment to end his career with another Super Bowl.
There were reasons to suggest that might be possible if everything went well, but things fell flat pretty early on. Miller also played more than he envisaged. This was thanks in no small part to the almost weekly injury problems, which ended any hope this team had of contending.
Miller acquitted himself relatively well, leading the team in sacks. That wasn't exactly a lofty goal for which to aim, but it shows that there could be another year in him after all.
However, that should not be in Washington. They no longer have what Miller is looking for, and younger, more explosive edge options are essential.
Preston Smith - Commanders DE
The Commanders have been scrambling for answers in their edge-rushing room almost all season. Fans were deeply concerned that Adam Peters didn't do enough to fortify this unit before the campaign, and they were right. This should be at the top of Washington's laundry list of offseason priorities.
In a veiled attempt to ease pressure, the Commanders signed defensive end Preston Smith for his second spell in Washington. He was an elite-level pass-rusher at the peak of his powers. It didn't take long for fans to realize that these days were long gone.
The explosiveness and relentless pursuit that made Smith a star have deserted him. There are a couple of notable highlights from his efforts over the second half of 2025, but nothing that would warrant another deal in Washington.
Smith was a means to an end. The veteran wanted to see if there was any juice left, and the Commanders were desperate. That cannot be the case next time around.
Bobby Wagner - Commanders LB
Bobby Wagner is one of the most prolific linebackers of the modern era. He is a first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer when the time comes, and he was an integral force in Washington reaching the NFC Championship game in Year 1 under head coach Dan Quinn's leadership.
Wagner remains impactful, going over 2,000 career tackles in Week 18 against the Philadelphia Eagles. When he's in between the tackles, he is a strong force against the run who can also generate pressure when required. Still, his coverage lapses and lack of athleticism in space are weak links that can no longer be ignored.
It's time for the Commanders to get younger. Everyone knows it, and Wagner probably realizes it too.
Whether this results in retirement or signing elsewhere remains to be seen. But it would be a bombshell of epic proportions if Washington gave the six-time All-Pro another go-around.
Austin Ekeler - Commanders RB
The Washington Commanders traded Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers before the 2025 season. This was a supreme vote of confidence in the younger options on the depth chart. It also thrust veteran running back Austin Ekeler into a starting role once again.
Ekeler was considered among the league's most prolific dual-threat backfield forces once upon a time. He played a more complementary role in Washington, but these plans changed once Robinson was deemed surplus to requirements. The Commanders were going to rely on him heavily. However, disaster struck in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers.
The former Western Colorado standout tore his Achilles and hasn't been seen since. Ekeler hasn't given up the prospect of playing again, working hard on his recovery in the hope of getting an opportunity to galvanize his career. Everyone in Washington wishes him well, but his time in D.C. is probably done.
Noah Igbinoghene - Commanders CB
The Commanders' cornerback unit is in desperate need of a makeover this offseason. Not exactly ideal considering the investments made in this area of the field during Adam Peters' tenure, but it's a harsh reality he must face.
Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil will be back. One couldn't predict anything with certainty about the rest, and Noah Igbinoghene is among those who'll probably be free to take his chances elsewhere.
Igbinoghene was the subject of intense trade speculation before the season and the 2025 deadline. The Commanders didn't have the surplus to part ways with the Auburn product, and injuries got him back into the defensive rotation almost immediately.
It's been much of the same from Igbinoghene. He flashes some promise, but consistency is sorely lacking. It wouldn't be expensive to keep the player around to fight for a roster spot again in 2026. Even so, it still doesn't seem all that likely.
Josh Johnson - Commanders QB
Josh Johnson joined the Commanders this offseason for his second spell with the club. The journeyman quarterback was seen as a long shot to make the 53-man roster, but he did enough to stick around as the third option behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.
As it turned out, Johnson would be needed. Daniels endured several frustrating injuries that eventually led the Commanders to shut him down for the year. Mariota also missed the last two contests, giving the No. 3 option some surprising time in a starting role once again.
Johnson's limitations are apparent at this late stage of his NFL journey. He's relished the prospect of being under center again, but nobody should be expecting him back in 2026. That may also apply to Mariota if he gets another opportunity elsewhere, where he could serve as a bridge option or compete for a starting spot.
Noah Brown - Commanders WR
Veteran wide receiver Noah Brown was the Hail Mary miracle man who brought in quarterback Jayden Daniels' prayer to beat the Chicago Bears in 2024. The Washington Commanders deservedly gave him another one-year extension during the offseason, but a constant stream of disappointing injury problems made him an innocent bystander for the most part.
Brown got hurt at Washington's mandatory minicamp and was brought along gradually all summer. This didn't prevent him from going down in Week 2, and the Commanders eventually placed him on injured reserve when they weren't satisfied with his progress.
The former Ohio State star eventually made it back. It wasn't for long, with Brown hobbling off the field early in his second contest. Washington placed him on injured reserve again, and the Commanders would be wise not to give him another financial commitment when the time comes in the spring.
Zach Ertz - Commanders TE
When the Commanders signed veteran tight end Zach Ertz in 2024 free agency, nobody really knew what to expect. His previous accomplishments needed no introduction. However, a turbulent 2023 campaign made this a risky move for general manager Adam Peters.
As it turned out, Washington provided Ertz with the precise environment needed to galvanize his career. He was nothing short of sensational in 2024, giving rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels a dependable outlet in the passing game. The former Stanford standout also emerged as a respected locker-room leader, earning numerous performance incentives along the way.
Ertz got a little older and slower in Year 2 with the club. He was still highly effective when targets came his way, and his savvy football acumen enabled him to find the soft spots in defenses. Unfortunately, a late-season ACL tear could lead to his retirement.
Marshon Lattimore - Commanders CB
The Commanders were expecting big things from veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore after acquiring him via trade from the New Orleans Saints before the 2024 deadline. Unfortunately, the gamble that had been formally announced as Washington's return to contention didn't yield the desired results.
Lattimore's hamstring injury upon joining the Commanders limited his contributions in 2024. Those in power were confident he could return to Pro Bowl-caliber performance with a full offseason to get healthy, but his subpar coverage and regressing technique were glaring. Going down with a devastating torn ACL was probably the final gut punch from his time in D.C.
Releasing the defensive back out of Ohio State this offseason comes with $18.5 million in savings and no dead cap ramifications. Considering how long Lattimore could be on the shelf and his lack of consistency, this should be a simple decision for general manager Adam Peters to make.