There are major question marks for the Washington Commanders' coaching staff heading into 2026. And there could be a big shakeup. But a bigger issue is the roster, and glaring problems signal a 2026 disaster for general manager Adam Peters.
After a brilliant start in 2024, Peters made bad choices for the 2025 roster. And when the injuries came, things went from shaky to worst-case scenario.
But how does Peters rebuild things? Will it take a major overhaul? Let’s dig in.
Commanders GM Adam Peters has roster problems
First, let’s address what Peters tried to do. The Commanders made it to the NFC Championship game in 2024. It was a magical season filled with miracles from rookie sensation Jayden Daniels.
In the NFL, having a standout quarterback on a rookie contract means you have a chance to build a Super Bowl roster. Understandably, Peters took this route.
But he took major gambles and none of them have seemed to pay off. His decision to draft an offensive lineman in the first round instead of an edge rusher may provide a starter for the long run. Josh Conerly Jr. started all 17 games for the Commanders, and perhaps he’s a long-term answer. But the support for that notion isn’t locked in place.
And Peters’ refusal to pick an edge rusher is the problem. There weren’t a lot of great options when the Commanders picked in the first round, but that’s not the point. It doesn't take multiple options. It only takes the right one.
And that one should have been Nic Scourton. Yes, there is great value in hindsight. But let’s look at where Scourton ranked on the Pro Football Focus edge rusher board, heading into the draft. PFF put him at No. 5 for edge rushers with a big board rank of No. 29. No so coincidentally, the Commanders had the No. 29 pick. Hmmm.
Scourton stayed on the board until pick No. 51, when the Panthers grabbed him. And what did he do for the Panthers this season? Scourton started eight games with five sacks and nine quarterback hits. Also, he had 31 quarterback pressures, the highest number for a rookie since tracking began, according to wscotv.com.
The Commanders ranked No. 22 in the NFL in pressure rate, according to PFF.
But it’s not just the numbers. It’s the attitude and effort the Commanders missed out on by passing Scourton by in the draft. Scourton is that infectious team player, according to panthers.com.
“I love to run to the ball,” Scourton said before the season. “I like to call myself a high effort guy. (And) I mean, the play is still continuing. And I got to chase and have that motive.
“I mean, I love to get better. I love football, and I'm just excited for this challenge and this journey that I have ahead of me.”
The Commanders’ biggest problem in 2025 was defense
And the bad thing is that the Commanders have very little to be excited about on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s look at the current roster. The standout players are very old. Bobby Wagner led the team in tackles. He’s 35 and may not play next year. And he also finished second on the team with two interceptions. Von Miller led the team in sacks. He’s 36 and may not play next year.
What else is there to be excited about? Cornerback Mike Sainristil led the Commanders with four interceptions and 12 passes defended. But it’s not like he’s a Pro Bowl-level player.
Cornerback Trey Amos showed some nice things in his rookie season before his injury. But it’s not like he set the NFL abuzz.
What else? Defensive tackle DaRon Payne is a vastly diminished player compared to his Pro Bowl 2022 season. He totaled three sacks and just eight QB hits. And he’ll be 29 before next season.
Peters' big spend on defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw brought 17 starting assignments. However, Kinlaw did not record a single sack and only three QB hits. Those were his worst numbers since 2022. Was that worth a three-year, $45 million contract?
Linebacker Frankie Luvu looked like a guy the Commanders could build around after getting eight sacks, 99 tackles, 12 for loss, and 14 QB hits in 2024. This year? He totaled only three sacks, 86 tackles, 5 for loss, and 6 QB hits. He wasn’t even noticeable in some games.
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore is so bad that the Commanders probably just need to part ways with him.
The defense is a mess, and it’s not fixable overnight. In fact, it might be 2027 before the Commanders could field a top-half NFL defense. And that’s only if Peters makes better decisions and gets lucky on a player or two, in the draft or free agency.
But, really, how bad is the roster?
The Pro Bowl story tells a lot. The Commanders had one. Their punter, Tress Way. It can’t get more painfully obvious that your roster construction failed miserably than when you only muster a punter as a Pro Bowl selection.
To be fair, offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil probably deserved to be in the Pro Bowl. He ranked No. 3 in the NFL in pass-blocking grade, according to PFF.
But the rest of the offense? Let’s find someone to be excited about other than quarterback Jayden Daniels. Of course, Daniels has to stay healthy. And after the 2025 nightmare of multiple injuries, he will have to prove his durability.
It might be easy to point to receiver Terry McLaurin. However, let’s not forget he will be 31 years old next September. He’s past the age window for being a No. 1 receiver in the NFL. That’s why the three-year, $96 million contract is tough to accept.
This year, in McLaurin’s first injury-plagued season, he managed only 582 yards receiving and three scores in 10 games. And here’s another thing to understand about McLaurin. Even though he recorded five straight 1,000-yard seasons before this year, three of those years were barely over the mark: 1,002 in 2023, 1,096 in 2024, and 1,053 in 2021.
Also, McLaurin has five or fewer touchdown receptions in five of his seven NFL seasons. Honestly, those aren’t $96 million numbers. Peters and company got robbed because McLaurin held out before a season that the Commanders — caught in a fantasy land — thought would be a Super Bowl year.
Receiver Deebo Samuel is aging out of NFL relevance, the offensive line seems average, the running backs are below average, and the tight end room is just plain bad (assuming a retirement by Zach Ertz, which seems reasonable and likely).
Maybe there’s a glimmer of hope for Jacory Croskey-Merritt. But he’s still a seventh-round selection with a pair of outlier games that skewered his season stats.
What could the Commanders do to improve?
It starts with speed. Outside of the offensive and defensive lines, the Commanders should not draft or sign any player who doesn’t have above-average NFL speed.
Yes, it may mean physical teams could give them trouble. But what Commanders fan isn’t tired of watching the Commanders fail to produce turnovers on defense? The Commanders had 10 in 17 games this year. And it was the product of a slow, plodding defense that couldn’t make passing windows tight, or get to the ball fast enough to punch it out.
Also, the Commanders simply didn’t make enough splash plays on offense. They need to bring in a fast receiver, a speedy tight end, and a game-breaking running back.
It’s honestly going to take a masterpiece for Peters to construct a competitive roster in 2026. Let’s see what he can do.
