Even though attention is firmly turning to the 2026 NFL Draft, general manager Adam Peters is always looking for ways to improve the roster. And even with some top brass in Arizona for the annual league meetings, the Washington Commanders were still able to wrap up their 15th new offseason signing.
The team confirmed that defensive lineman D.J. Davidson had signed a one-year deal with the club. It's a swift return to the NFC East for the player, who spent the first four years of his professional journey with the New York Giants.
Again, this isn't an earth-shattering move. Very few are at this stage, but it provides the Commanders with another insurance policy before the draft and raises competition for places before OTAs.
Commanders are giving D.J. Davidson a chance to finally fulfill his potential
On the face of things, there could be a chance for Davidson to make the team.
The Commanders have Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and free-agent signing Tim Settle Jr. as their starting trio if coordinator Daronte Jones deploys a 3-4 base front as expected. Hopes remain high for Johnny Newton, who continues to flash as a situational interior rusher. There is also Shy Tuttle and Ricky Barber, but that's about it.
Whether Davidson can fully impose himself is undertemined. The 2022 fifth-round pick out of Arizona State had his early momentum dented by injury. He's never completed a full season, which is concerning. But at 26 with his prime years ahead, the Commanders want to see if any untapped potential remains.
There won't be any immediate pressure on Davidson to accumulate significant responsibilities. His task becomes more difficult if the Commanders also draft an interior lineman, but his primary focus will be to catch the coaching staff's eye during early workouts. After that, shining when the intensity ramps up over the summer should be enough to cement his status on the 53-man roster.
Davidson has never played more than 35 percent of defensive snaps in any season throughout his career. The injury problems have played their part, but something has been missing so far. What the Commanders need to figure out is whether this environment can help bring out a little extra from the player to bolster their rotation.
This won't exactly have cost the earth to find out. It's also not going to put Payne, Settle, Newton, or Kinlaw under any pressure whatsoever. But if Davidson can earn his roster spot, perform well when called upon, and also make his presence felt on special teams, that's all Washington is probably looking for.
He's got an opportunity. What comes next is down to Davidson.