The Super Bowl is now in the rearview mirror, and attention has firmly turned to the 2026 offseason. Of course, the Washington Commanders have been there for some time, stemming from a campaign that fell well short of expectations.
It quickly became a brutal reality check, with the Commanders crashing back to earth after reaching the NFC Championship game the previous season. Nothing much went right. Injuries didn't help, but Washington's problems ran far deeper. Winning five games is not going to cut it moving forward, so there is a significant amount of work ahead for head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters this offseason.
Fans remain confident, although there is greater scrutiny on those in power as they enter Year 3 of this project. Quinn parted ways with both coordinators in his quest to turn the tide. The Commanders also need a substantial overhaul of their personnel, focusing on getting younger and more explosive.
Commanders' situation remains precarious entering pivotal offseason period
One NFL analyst remains skeptical about how much growth the Commanders can achieve next season. Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports placed Washington at No. 17 in his offseason power rankings. He believes a bounce-back is possible if quarterback Jayden Daniels can thrive without Kliff Kingsbury to depend upon. Still, a massive defensive revamp is required to help Quinn's squad along the way.
"A healthy Jayden Daniels will be a big boost for this team, but now he’ll have to succeed without OC Kliff Kingsbury. Also, his injuries weren’t the only problem in D.C. The defense needs a big offseason overhaul, too."Ralph Vacchiano
This is a fair assessment. If Daniels and other key figures stay healthy, the Commanders should improve. If David Blough and Daronte Jones excel in their coordinator roles, and the upcoming personnel acquisitions all hit the ground running, it's all systems go.
Pressure is building. Quinn's seat is getting warmer. And after that, it'll be Peters under the microscope. There remains alignment in the building, which is important. And last season represents a stern wake-up call that should raise urgency in the building.
It's a precarious situation; there's no denying that. Peters has only two picks in the first four rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. He could have upwards of $100 million in available salary-cap space, which should be enough to plug holes with players coming off rookie deals and entering their prime years.
If it goes well, the Commanders could be right back in the playoff mix in 2026. If it doesn't, more landmark changes will be firmly on the table when the 2027 offseason arrives.
And it could legitimately go either way.