- Jayden Daniels' health is the biggest key: Washington believes its franchise quarterback can return to his elite rookie form after an injury-shortened 2025 season.
- The defense added reinforcements: Odafe Oweh, Leo Chenal and first-round pick Sonny Styles headline an aggressive defensive overhaul.
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The Washington Commanders endured a disappointing 2025 season just one year after reaching the NFC Championship Game behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels missed significant time because of injury, but his return to full health gives Washington plenty of reason for optimism heading into 2026.
Here is our 2026 preview of the Washington Commanders.
Key Free Agency/Trade Additions
| Position | Player | 2025 PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| WR | Dyami Brown | 55.5 |
| TE | Chig Okonkwo | 59.9 |
| HB | Rachaad White | 80.9 |
| EDGE | Charles Omenihu | 62.0 |
| DI | Tim Settle | 71.5 |
| DI | DJ Davidson | 50.3 |
| EDGE | Odafe Oweh | 75.5 |
| EDGE | K’Lavon Chaisson | 58.9 |
| LB | Leo Chenal | 75.3 |
| CB | Ahkello Witherspoon | 54.0 |
| CB | Rasul Douglas | 72.7 |
| CB | Amik Robertson | 48.7 |
| S | Nick Cross | 59.8 |
The Commanders invested heavily in their front seven during free agency, adding four projected starters. They signed Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson to bolster the edge rotation and improve a pass rush that lacked consistent production. Chaisson has earned a PFF pass-rush grade above 70.0 just once in his career, but he generated 74 pressures on 535 pass-rushing snaps last season, including 30 sacks and quarterback hits. Oweh, meanwhile, has earned PFF pass-rush grades above 74.0 in three consecutive seasons and is coming off a career-best 81.0 mark in 2025.
At linebacker, Leo Chenal is another intriguing addition. The former Kansas City Chief has earned a PFF grade above 70.0 in each of his first four NFL seasons, but his career high for snaps in a season is just 527, as he has often come off the field in obvious passing situations. He is coming off a career-best 72.6 PFF coverage grade in 2025, making it worth watching whether Washington uses him as a full-time player and how he holds up in coverage if it does.
2026 NFL Draft Class
| Position | Player | 2025 PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| LB | Sonny Styles | 88.0 |
| WR | Antonio Williams | 80.3 |
| EDGE | Joshua Josephs | 87.1 |
| HB | Kaytron Allen | 89.7 |
| C | Matt Gulbin | 82.6 |
| QB | Athan Kaliakmanis | 88.8 |
The Commanders used the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles after a dominant 2025 season. He earned an 88.0 PFF grade while posting marks above 87.0 both in run defense and in coverage. Styles also made major strides as a tackler, going from 14 missed tackles in 2024 to none in 2025.
Joshua Josephs is another intriguing addition off the edge. Though undersized and never having played even 400 snaps in a season, he has been highly productive in limited opportunities over the past two years. In 2025, he earned a 90.6 PFF pass-rush grade while generating 32 pressures on just 184 pass-rushing snaps.
Reasons for optimism
We know Jayden Daniels can perform at an elite level in the NFL because he showed it as a rookie in 2024. He earned a 90.6 PFF grade that season and posted grades above 80.0 both as a passer and as a runner. His 1.5% turnover-worthy play rate led all quarterbacks as a rookie. That figure increased to 3.0% in his second season, tying for 16th, but he has already shown he can protect the football at a high level. If Daniels can stay healthy in 2026, he has every chance to return to the form he displayed during his rookie campaign.
Reason for pessimism
Terry McLaurin remained productive when healthy in 2025, averaging 2.22 yards per route run despite an injury-shortened season. Beyond him, however, Washington lacks a proven receiving threat who consistently challenges opposing defenses. Treylon Burks has averaged fewer than 1.00 yards per route run in each of the past three seasons, while Dyami Brown has never topped 350 receiving yards in a regular season across his five-year career. Luke McCaffrey showed promise, averaging 1.90 yards per route run last season, but he has seen just 42 targets through his first two NFL seasons. If rookie Antonio Williams can make an immediate impact, it would provide a significant boost to what is, on paper, one of the league's weaker wide receiver groups.
Breakout Candidate
A broken leg cut Trey Amos‘ rookie season short in Week 10, but there were encouraging signs before the injury. Although he finished with a 58.8 PFF coverage grade, he earned a grade above 70.0 in four of his 10 starts. Amos also entered the NFL off an outstanding final season at Ole Miss, allowing just 280 receiving yards on 515 coverage snaps in 2024. He will begin training camp on the PUP list, but if he returns healthy, he should continue to build on the flashes he showed as a rookie.
Key roster battles
The battle for playing time at wide receiver will be one of the most important storylines to watch during training camp. Given the current state of the position, it would not be surprising if Antonio Williams earns a role with the starting offense early in his rookie season. The No. 71 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft averaged 2.27 yards per route run in his final season at Clemson and dropped just 5.0% of the catchable passes thrown his way across his four-year college career.
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