If you’ve been following the Washington Commanders lately, you know the vibe is... complicated. It’s early 2026, and the "new era" under Josh Harris is hitting its first real speed bump.
Last year was a gut punch. Honestly, after that 12-5 magic and the NFC Championship run in 2024, seeing the team spiral to a 4-12 finish in 2025 felt like a bad dream.
Injuries didn't help. Jayden Daniels—our franchise savior—spent more time in the training room than on the field. He missed 10 games. You can’t win in this league when your QB1 has a dislocated elbow and a bum knee at the same time.
But it’s not just about health. There’s a massive overhaul happening right now at Ashburn.
The Coaching Carousel: Out with the Old
Adam Peters and Dan Quinn aren't going anywhere. Let's get that clear. The front office and the head coach still have a ton of equity from that 2024 run. But the "friends and family" plan in the coaching staff is officially over.
Joe Whitt Jr. is likely out as Defensive Coordinator. Quinn actually took over the defensive play-calling himself back in November because things got so sideways.
The biggest wash football team news right now is the hunt for a new DC.
Rumor has it they want Brian Flores. His contract with the Vikings is up, and Washington is reportedly ready to throw a bag at him to fix a defense that gave up 21+ points in four straight blowouts last season.
Other names in the mix:
- Patrick Graham (former Raiders DC)
- Joe Cullen (Chiefs DL coach)
- Dennard Wilson On the flip side, the offense is getting a weird facelift. Kliff Kingsbury might be headed to Tennessee or the Giants. In his place, Washington promoted David Blough. Yeah, the former Lions backup QB. He was the assistant QBs coach, and Peters promoted him fast to keep him from getting poached. It’s a bold move. It’s also a risky one for a team that needs to protect its most valuable asset: Jayden Daniels.
Jayden Daniels and the Health Crisis
We need to talk about Jayden.
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In the seven games he actually played in 2025, he looked... okay. 1,262 passing yards and 8 touchdowns. But the completion percentage dipped to 60.6%. Compare that to his nearly 70% in his rookie year.
The concern isn't his arm; it's his frame.
Peters was pretty blunt in the recent press conference. He basically said they need to stop putting the entire world on Jayden’s shoulders. That means the wash football team news for the draft is almost certainly going to focus on the O-line.
They already have Laremy Tunsil, who they traded for last year. Peters called him "one of the better, if not the best" left tackles in the league. They want to extend him soon.
But the rest of the line? It’s a mess. Sam Cosmi ended the year on IR. Tyler Biadasz ended the year on IR.
If Jayden is going to survive 2026, he needs more than just Tunsil. He needs a run game that doesn't rely on him scrambling for his life. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was a bright spot—805 rushing yards as a rookie—but they need more.
The $3.8 Billion "New RFK" Dream
While the product on the field was rough, the off-field news is massive.
On January 15, 2026, the team finally dropped the renderings for the new stadium at the old RFK site.
It’s a $3.8 billion project. $1.1 billion is coming from public funds.
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Josh Harris is calling it the "loudest stadium in the NFL." They’re using a firm called HKS, the same people who did SoFi and AT&T Stadium. The design is a "callback" to the old RFK.
Vertical construction starts in Spring 2027. We won't be playing there until 2030, but seeing those 70,000 seats and the "waterfront mixed-use district" actually feels real now.
It’s a massive milestone for a fan base that’s been stuck in the Landover wasteland for decades.
Roster Purge: Getting Younger and Faster
The 2025 roster was the oldest in the league.
Bobby Wagner is 35. Von Miller is 36. Zach Ertz is 35 and coming off a torn ACL.
Peters admitted the "veteran band-aid" strategy blew up in his face. Now, 23 players are hitting free agency. 17 of them are over 30.
Expect a bloodbath.
Washington has the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 Draft. They also have around $80 million to $93 million in cap space, depending on where the final NFL numbers land.
They need a pass rusher. Badly. Peters highlighted that as a priority.
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But with only six draft picks currently in the bank, don't be surprised if they trade down. Some mock drafts have them moving from No. 7 to No. 15 to pick up extra 2027 assets.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Team
A lot of national media heads think the Commanders are "resetting" again.
I don't think that's right.
This isn't a total teardown. It’s a course correction.
They have the QB. They have the LT. They have a stud WR in Terry McLaurin (who still put up 727 yards in a broken season).
The 2025 failure was a failure of depth and health. They relied on "names" like Bobby Wagner to lead the defense, but Wagner is a liability in pass coverage now, even if he did hit the 2,000-tackle milestone this year.
The wash football team news you should be watching isn't the flashy free agent signings. It’s the mid-tier, 25-year-old grinders they bring in.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're trying to track what happens next, keep these dates on your radar:
- February 23 – March 2: The NFL Combine. Watch the edge rushers and guards. Washington will be living in the hospitality suites in Indy trying to figure out who can protect Jayden.
- March 11: Free Agency begins. If Washington doesn't sign a starting-caliber cornerback in the first 48 hours, be worried.
- April 23-25: The Draft. This is where the Adam Peters era actually begins. He’s done with the veterans. He needs hits on Day 2 and Day 3.
Keep an eye on the defensive coordinator hire. If it’s Brian Flores, the energy in D.C. changes overnight. If it’s a "safe" hire, we might be looking at another long year of Quinn calling plays from the sideline.
The stadium news is great for the soul, but Jayden Daniels' health is the only thing that matters for the win column.