General manager Adam Peters sheds light on the need to upgrade the Washington Commanders' front seven in 2026.
Day one of the offseason didn't lead to any official moves, aside from the team inking 11 to reserve/future contracts, with head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters still reviewing coaching staff decisions and exit interviews underway.
But the need to upgrade everywhere was clear, especially to head coach Dan Quinn.
"Our work is answering the question, what went wrong and what do we need to do to fix it and make sure we never go through this again and a season like this," Quinn said in his opening statement.
That includes defensively where the Commanders need upgrades - everywhere.
As for draft outlook, the latest projection has pointed to pass rusher being the most likely pick for the Washington Commanders with both Miami (FL) edge Rueben Bain Jr. and Texas Tech edge David Bailey expected to still be available with the seventh overall pick.
Todd McShay pointed to Bailey as the pick for the Commanders in his first offseason mock draft released on Monday.
Bailey has an explosive first step, excellent bend, great instincts, and a closing burst that’s awesome to watch. His 14.5 sacks tied for first in the FBS this season, and his 21.9 percent pass-rush win rate ranked tied for seventh (minimum 100 pass-rush snaps) among Power Four edge rushers. He’s a bit undersized, which would normally scare me, but this cat is unique. Some guys just know how to get home—he majors in it.
While he left the door open as to when the team could address the position, general manager Adam Peters also noted the need to upgrade the room heading into 2026 before prefacing the need to address "a lot of spots."
"I think where we can look at, I think, certainly another pass rusher would be something we'd definitely be looking for. Whether that's the draft or free agency, I think we have a lot of good options in both of those areas."
The Commanders finished the season tied with two teams - including the Philadelphia Eagles - for 12th in the NFL with 42 tackles this season, but a big part of that production came from veteran Von Miller after hitting his ninth sack of the season on the second to final play of the regular season finale.
Miller has repeatedly made clear he wants to return to the organization for a second season in 2026, while general manager Adam Peters noted the need for the roster to get younger across the board.
"I think that's something that's been talked about a lot and I think fairly in a lot of aspects but you know, I think you're always trying to get younger and faster. And I think that'll be a big emphasis for us this offseason."
Whether Miller returns in a veteran role for a rookie like Bailey is worth watching as the Commanders enter the offseason with over 30 free agents and the sixth-most projected cap space. But after finishing the season ranked near or at the bottom of nearly every major defensive category, change is coming to the Commanders defense in year three under head coach Dan Quinn.