Real talk: the 2025 season, ending with a familiar 7-10 record and a fourth-place finish in the NFC East, left a lot to be desired. Sam Howell showed flashes, throwing for 3,800 yards and 25 touchdowns, but also tossed 18 interceptions, a number that still gives coordinators nightmares. Now, as the calendar flips to 2026, Adam Peters and Dan Quinn face their biggest roster puzzle yet. They’ve got some tough decisions on who gets paid and who walks, especially with that defensive line needing a serious jolt after ranking 28th against the run.
Montez Sweat, after his monster 2023 season with 12.5 sacks, was the big money guy, but Chase Young's departure left a void that was never truly filled. K.J. Henry and James Smith-Williams are both set to hit the open market. Henry, a rotational piece, managed just 2 sacks in 2025 across 15 games, while Smith-Williams saw his snap count drop significantly. Neither seems like a priority re-sign given their production. The real question mark is Jamin Davis. The former first-round pick has been… inconsistent, to put it kindly. He led the team with 110 tackles in 2025, but his coverage skills remain a liability. Is he worth a second contract north of $8 million annually when the team needs more impact plays? I say no. They need to let Davis walk and target a true three-down linebacker in the draft or free agency. Look, you can't keep throwing good money after bad simply because of draft position.
On the backend, Kendall Fuller, still a reliable veteran, is also a free agent. He picked off 3 passes in 2025 and broke up 10, proving he can still play at a high level. At 31, he might be looking for one last multi-year deal. The Commanders should absolutely prioritize bringing him back on a two-year deal, even if it means paying him $10 million per year. His leadership in that secondary is invaluable, especially with young corners like Emmanuel Forbes still finding their footing after a rollercoaster second season where he gave up seven touchdowns.
The offensive line was a patchwork in 2025, giving up 45 sacks, a slight improvement from the disastrous 2024 campaign, but still not good enough. Andrew Wylie, the right tackle, is a free agent. He’s been solid, if unspectacular, since signing his three-year, $24 million deal in 2023. At 32, the team might look to get younger and cheaper. Sam Cosmi, the right guard, is also due for an extension. He’s been the most consistent performer up front, starting all 17 games in 2025 and earning a respectable 72.5 PFF grade. Paying Cosmi around $12-14 million per year for four years feels like a no-brainer. He’s a foundational piece.
Terry McLaurin, the undisputed leader of the receiving corps, is still under contract through 2027, but the rest of the receiving room is a question mark. Jahan Dotson, while showing flashes with 700 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025, hasn’t quite lived up to his first-round billing. His fifth-year option decision will be looming. Curtis Samuel's contract is up, and after a decent 650-yard, 4-touchdown season, he'll likely command more than the team is willing to pay. They need to get Howell more weapons, plain and simple.
This offseason feels like a make-or-break moment for the Peters-Quinn regime. They've had two years to evaluate the roster. Now it's time to truly reshape it. The team has a projected $60 million in cap space, giving them flexibility. They need to be aggressive but smart.
Here’s my bold prediction: The Commanders will let Jamin Davis walk, sign a veteran free-agent linebacker like Patrick Queen to a lucrative deal, and draft an offensive tackle in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.