The Washington Commanders enter the 2026 season with a significantly different look than the veteran-heavy roster approach they utilized the past two years. It was time to move on from the old guard and embrace the youth movement, but still, it's not going to be easy to replace some of the aging contributors general manager Adam Peters has left behind.
In particular, the Commanders have a Bobby Wagner-shaped hole at middle linebacker. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer's play had declined, but his presence as a leader and communicator will be sorely missed. Most importantly, somebody else is going to have to wear the "green dot" as the quarterback of the defense.
And there's really only one person who is worthy of it.
Sonny Styles is Washington's obvious Bobby Wagner successor as the designated wearer of the "green dot"
Washington Times writer Liam Griffin appeared on The Team 980 to discuss the Commanders' green dot predicament, and his answer was an easy one. It has to be No. 7 overall pick Sonny Styles.
"Dan Quinn has been saying 'We want Sonny to become an NFL player, to learn what it's like', and he was getting those green dot reps early on. I think he is going to be the defensive player who is on the field for 100 percent of the snaps and I think he's going to be the player who is wearing the green dot."Liam Griffin
Styles has been renowned as a prospect for his vision and football IQ, which makes him the perfect type of green dot player. In the long run, the Commanders need him to become the on- and off-field leader of their defense as he ideally racks up All-Pro appearances and builds a resume as one of the best off-ball linebackers in the game.
However, he is a rookie, which makes it more than a little bit risky to entrust him with such major responsibilities right off the bat. But all indications are that the Commanders won't use kid gloves with Styles, nor should they. They need as many fresh legs on defense as they can find, and his elite speed and athleticism will be invaluable.
Styles might very well already be the best player on the Commanders' defense this season. In that case, there's no need to prolong the inevitable. Sometimes, trial by fire is the best way to prepare a franchise player for the future.
If he's as good as the hype, it won't matter.
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