For the Washington Commanders, the biggest theme of the 2026 offseason has been simple. They had to get younger across the board.
And they have.
General manager Adam Peters' free agency class consists almost entirely of four-to-five-year veterans who just hit the open market for the first time, who will be in the prime of their careers in Washington. The Commanders also still have the NFL Draft ahead of them, where they possess the No. 7 overall pick.
Now comes the next step: actually utilizing all of those younger pieces effectively.
Commanders must fully embrace their youth movement to bounce back in 2026
There have been rumblings about the Commanders still keeping the door open a crack for veterans such as linebacker Bobby Wagner and tight end Zach Ertz. Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan argues that this would be utterly pointless.
"You went out and you got Leo Chenal... you got Frankie Luvu, who I think a lot of us feel like could really break out in this scheme... you keep telling me about what you love about Jordan Magee. Let the kids play."
It's time to for the Commanders to embrace youth and speed. Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz did what was needed of them for the first two years. Now, it's time to show what you've been preaching in these young players. pic.twitter.com/l1pRIgj9QF
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) March 31, 2026
If there is any role for a player like Wagner on this team, it's as an emergency in-season signing should someone get hurt. The same could be said about Ertz, following Washington's addition of Chig Okonkwo, while returning John Bates and Ben Sinnott as backups.
The value that Wagner and Ertz brought to Washington will always be appreciated, but their job here is done. It's a similar story around the rest of the roster.
Rachaad White figures to be Austin Ekeler's replacement. K'Lavon Chaisson will be an upgrade on Von Miller. The absence of Marshon Lattimore is addition by subtraction in and of itself.
In addition to Washington's new signings, the Commanders will need to see improvement from several of their recent draft picks, for whom the jury is still out. There should be more opportunities for players such as Johnny Newton, Luke McCaffrey, and Sinnott to continue their development, especially with new coordinators on both offense and defense.
Expectations will be lower heading into this season than they were at this time last year, which could help the team build chemistry under minimal pressure. Ideally, by the time the calendar reaches December, Washington should have its identity figured out enough to make a run at a return to the playoffs.
But to get there, it's going to require going all-in on the youngsters.