Adam Peters has a significant amount to get through this offseason. The Washington Commanders need to make drastic changes to the playing personnel, and every stone must be turned over in their quest to find the right improvements.
Head coach Dan Quinn set the tone by firing Joe Whitt Jr. and Kliff Kingsbury and replacing them with two new coordinators with no play-calling experience. It's a seismic shift, and Peters must follow suit by enhancing the starting options and bolstering depth before on-field preparations for the 2026 campaign gather pace.
Fortunately, the Commanders are in a financially profitable position entering free agency. Having money and spending it wisely are two very different things, but the urgency is obviously high for Peters after a five-win campaign when most thought another deep playoff run was in the offing.
Peters has finished his period of self-reflection about what went wrong. He'll have identified problem positions and potential targets. This is still an attractive destination with some accomplished pieces to build around. However, there needs to be a shift in approach, starting by finding younger, dynamic players rather than relying on aging veterans past their prime.
And things are now starting to ramp up. With this in mind, we graded the first major Commanders roster moves from the 2026 offseason.
Grading the first five Commanders roster moves in a franchise-defining offseason
Commanders re-signed Tress Way
General manager Adam Peters has some extremely tough choices to make this offseason. However, his first decision was a relatively straightforward exercise.
The Washington Commanders locked up Tress Way for another season, which will be his 13th with the club. The Pro Bowl punter is immensely popular behind the scenes, someone other players look up to for advice and leadership. He's part of the locker room fabric. More importantly, he's still performing at a high level.
Way's 47.3 yards per punt average was his highest since 2021. His 51.8 percent of punts landing inside the 20-yard line was the largest since 2018. The 43.9 net yards per punt is his best number in this statistical category since 2020. And he deservedly earned his second Pro Bowl distinction as a result of his efforts.
If Way wanted to keep on playing, this was a no-brainer move from the Commanders. When he outlined his desire to stick around, everything else was pretty easy to figure out.
- Roster Move Grade: A+
Just how much longer Way's career will go on is anyone's guess. But the Commanders will no doubt get the same consistent production from their special teams weapon in 2026.