After breaking down how Adam Peters insulated Jayden Daniels on offense, it’s time to look at the other side of the trench war.

If the Washington Commanders want to slow down Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and a dangerous Philly offense, it’s going to come down to how a newly overhauled defense executes. Here are the three defensive players I’m watching closest against Philadelphia in Week 1. 

After a disappointing 2025 season in which the Commanders ranked 27th in the NFL in defense, Adam Peters realized he had to overhaul the unit. And he did just that. At the end of the year, he relieved defensive coordinator Joe Whitt of his duties and spent the offseason adding nine new faces to the defense, with seven of them expected to start.

This overhaul was intended to infuse youth, speed, and athleticism into the unit, and one of the crown jewels of the offseason was safety Nick Cross. The former Maryland Terrapin and Indianapolis Colt made a name for himself as a tackling machine, totaling 97 solo tackles last season—which ranked No. 1 at his position according to PFF. In addition, he added 16 quarterback pressures, which ranked second overall among safeties per PFF.

Peters addressed a clear need for range, physicality, and athleticism by signing Cross to a two-year, $14M deal, and he’s expected to step right into a vital starting role. Cross brings high-end athletic traits and sideline-to-sideline range to the back end of our defense. Known for his punishing hits and eagerness to trigger downhill against the run game, he gives the Commanders the kind of explosive presence they missed at times last year.

With defensive coordinator Daronte Jones now running the show—who previously leveraged safety Harrison Smith in a variety of versatile roles in Minnesota—I foresee Cross operating as a true Swiss Army knife who rarely leaves the field. I’ll be paying close attention to how Jones deploys him against Philadelphia. Is he going to be active blowing up the run game? Coming on surprise blitzes? I want to see Cross be disruptive in a variety of ways, and he’s a dark-horse candidate to be one of our most impactful defenders right out of the gate.

Speaking of a revamped secondary, my eyes are going to gravitate straight to Amik Robertson. Coming off a solid stint in Detroit, Robertson has quickly become a fan favorite due to his work ethic, fierce play style, and classic soundbites. He backed up all that talk with a massive splash play in the preseason against the Lions, recording a strip-sack on the very first play of the game.

The Commanders brought Robertson aboard on a two-year, $16M deal to solidify the secondary. With Trey Amos handling an outside role and Mikey Sainristril looking to bounce back, Robertson figures to be a massive anchor for Washington in the slot.

Robertson earned a reputation around the league in Las Vegas and Detroit as a hyper-competitive corner who punches way above his weight class. Last season, he put up 52 total tackles, two forced fumbles, an interception, and 9 pass breakups over 17 games. He doesn't back down from anyone, playing with a relentless edge that instantly upgrades the attitude of our nickel package.

In the slot, he will have a dynamic matchup against DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, or whoever kicks inside for the Eagles' passing attack. From everything we've seen, Robertson is more than up for the challenge—he famously locked down Justin Jefferson in one-on-one matchups during his time facing Minnesota. If he can stay sticky in man coverage on third downs and prevent easy conversions over the middle, he’ll cement himself in D.C. real quick.

We’ve talked about the veteran and free-agent additions, but let’s talk about the rookie standout who might just be the best athlete on that side of the ball. Selected seventh overall in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, Sonny Styles enters Week 1 with massive expectations to step in as an every-down, sideline-to-sideline defensive centerpiece.

At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds with elite 4.46 speed and a 43.5-inch vertical, Styles is quite literally built in a lab for today's NFL. Transitioning from a hybrid safety/nickel role in college into a dominant off-ball linebacker, he brings rare coverage fluidity and explosive closing speed to the middle of our defense.

Because we barely saw him play during the preseason, I’m eager to watch a larger sample size of his live game action. There might be a brief transition period where he has to process things at the speed of an NFL linebacker, but his instincts and raw physical traits are off the charts.

How will the coaching staff deploy his unique skill set against elite tight ends and modern rushing attacks? Styles has the length and speed to erase tight ends downfield and the range to hunt down runners sideline-to-sideline. If the staff cuts him loose to spy Jalen Hurts and disrupt the middle of the field in zone drops, we could see a massive performance right out of the gate.

Week 1 against Philadelphia is always a measuring-stick game. The division race starts right now, and the pressure is on the defense to prove that mastery of this new system can hold up against one of the better offensive units in the NFC.

Do Cross, Robertson, and Styles step up and give this defense the physical edge and athletic range it desperately needs? We’re about to find out.

Sound off in the comments or find me on X (@Gcarmi21) with your own defensive watchlists.