General Manager Adam Peters laid down a mission statement back in January: “get younger and faster.” The Washington Commanders followed those words with every move this offseason, completely revamping their defense, especially at edge rusher, after a disastrous showing last season. They struggled big time to stop both the run and the pass, got absolutely zero pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and couldn’t force a single turnover. Honestly, they were at or near the bottom in every major defensive statistical category. It was brutal, but Peters went to work.
A Complete Defensive Overhaul, Finally
Not only did the Commanders bring in a ton of new defensive starters, but they also hired Daronte Jones as their new defensive coordinator. There’s real reason to be hyped about this defense, if for no other reason than they genuinely can’t be any worse than last year. The changes are obvious up front. Players like Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Daron Payne, Tim Settle, Jer’Zhan Newton, Dorance Armstrong, Charles Omenihu, and Javon Kinlaw are all considered roster locks. This crew represents a serious upgrade in depth from what we’ve seen from them over the last two years. The early projections have Washington keeping ten combined players between the defensive line and edge rusher positions.
The Battles Are Heating Up, Newton’s Year?
One of the biggest questions heading into camp is who’s gonna start at defensive tackle. We know Daron Payne is a lock, and this is his second contract year after an outstanding 2022 performance, so the team is absolutely hoping he repeats that fire. Kinlaw definitely had his moments last season, and he was way better than some folks gave him credit for. The Commanders didn’t just hand Tim Settle a three-year deal to sit on the bench as a full-time backup, either. Then there’s Jer’Zhan Newton, who will also get plenty of playing time. Everyone’s wondering if 2026 will finally be Newton’s breakout year. He’s more of a pass rusher than a run stopper, and his performance against the Cowboys on Christmas Day had everyone buzzing. He’s got the talent, he just needs to string those kinds of games together. On the edges, Oweh, Chaisson, Armstrong, and Omenihu are all set to play a ton of snaps. Armstrong, who was having a career year before tearing his ACL in Week 7 last season, will now play in a rotation, bringing even more depth.
It’ll be fascinating to see how Coach Jones molds this entire front seven. The talent up front is undeniably better, across the board. The signing of Settle alone was a great move to solidify things.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply