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The Washington Commanders, formerly known as the Washington Football Team, had a less than stellar 2021 season. Last season, they won the NFC East and had a playoff run (short-lived, but still). This season, they finished third in their division and their season was over by Week 17.
Of course, a lot of this can be attributed to the amount of talent in the rest of the NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys won the division with an impressive winning record of 12-5. The Philadelphia Eagles were able to get a huge start on their rebuild this year and claimed the second spot in the division and a Wild Card spot in the playoffs.
As teams, like the Eagles, begin successful rebuilds, Washington needs to do the same. They found their identity in their new name, but now it's time to find it on the field. Three main problems within the Commanders' roster need to be addressed this offseason.
3 Major Fixes for the Commanders
3. Help on defense
It's no secret that the Commanders had a difficult time stopping offenses this season. They faced tough opponents, with seven of their 10 losses against playoff teams, but doesn't matter who they played or who they lost to. There are no excuses, because this team will have to beat all types of opponents to make it to the playoffs next season.
They allowed 25.5 points per game ranked ninth in most points allowed all season with 434 total.
That being said, the Commanders need some reinforcements on defense. They specifically need to focus on acquiring a linebacker, which would be a great way for the Commanders to use their 11th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
2. A number one receiver
Terry McLaurin has been a valuable asset to Washington since they drafted him in 2019. However, he is more of a number two receiver than a number one. McLaurin ranked 20th overall amongst the league's top receivers with 1,053 receiving yards in 17 games.
If the Commanders expect to be playoff contenders next season, they need more than that. Even Chris Godwin and Tee Higgins had more yards than McLaurin, and they only played in 14 games.
It would benefit the Commanders to find this missing piece through the 2022 NFL Free Agency. There are a lot of dominant receivers on the market right now that would be a perfect fit for this position. For instance, Chris Godwin is a highly talented and experienced receiver. As mentioned earlier, he missed three games this season, because he suffered a torn ACL. However, he should be ready for Week 1 of the 2022 season.
1. Someone to throw the ball to the new receiver
The relationship between a receiver and a quarterback is interdependent. A quarterback relies on his receiver to complete catches, while the receiver relies on his quarterback to pass him the ball.
There's no reason to acquire a receiver unless the Commanders also pick up a promising quarterback. While I noted earlier that they could use their first-round selection to pick up a linebacker, it wouldn't be a bad idea to use it on a quarterback, either. There are also a decent amount of experienced quarterbacks within the league that the Commanders could make agreements to obtain. Regardless of how it gets done, Washington needs a new captain to lead the Commanders in 2022.
