After landing their premier free agent, the Washington Commanders had their defense on the right track. But the offensive additions have been uninspiring. And that was the Commanders’ biggest mistake in Week 1 of 2026 NFL free agency.
As good as young quarterback Jayden Daniels can be, the surrounding skill players don’t move the needle. So, unless the Commanders hit a draft home run, their lack of playmaker acquisition on the offensive side of the ball could keep them from being a legitimate playoff threat this coming season.
Yes, the Commanders and head coach Dan Quinn had to overhaul their defense. And they’ve done a nice job of improving that side of the ball.
Commanders’ offense still needs a lot of work
As of now, the Commanders have a top-10, perhaps top-five, quarterback. They’re OK there. And there is potential for the offensive line to be solid. That’s especially true if Nick Allegretti can handle the duties at center.
But the playmaker positions are thin. The Commanders did a nice job of adding tight end Chig Okonkwo. But let’s be real about his potential impact. His career high in receiving yards is 560. He has eight career touchdowns in four seasons. Sure, he has three straight years of 50-plus receptions, but he’s not an explosive player.
Check out the wide receiver room. The Commanders have Terry McLaurin. He’s getting a lot of snap mileage on his body. Perhaps that’s why he broke down and played a career-low 10 games in 2025. One thing is for sure: Defenses don’t fear him as they might have in 2024.
After him, the starters are Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane. They’re followed by Treylon Burks, Jacoby Jones, and Ja’Corey Brooks. Yes, nothing to see here, folks.
Somewhere in the course of free agency, the Commanders need to add a No. 2 receiver. Neither McCaffrey nor Lane can handle that spot in 2026.
Who would the Commanders target for No. 2 WR?
There has been talk of that guy being Brandon Aiyuk. But T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Brandon Aiyuk's personal receiver coach, said the Commanders — or any team signing nim — need to be careful, according to a post on YouTube by Speakeasy via ninerswire.com.
“BA is still really young, fast, quick, explosive, but what he did last year is kind of crazy,” Houshmandzadeh said. “You got all this guaranteed money. You ain't showing up. You're getting fined, and you basically forego what was it? Over 30 million, right?
“Like, if you're a team and you give him a good contract, is this what you're going to get? Because this is what he has shown us. Signed his deal with the Niners, bad luck, he gets hurt. Don't want that. But it's how he handled everything after that. Yes, he's going to get signed. But if you're a team, you got to structure that contract the right way. You got to make sure that you protect yourself because of what he's shown you to be.”
That doesn’t sound so rosy for a franchise wanting to get back to its 2024 level. The Commanders could go after guys like Jauan Jennings or Stefon Diggs, but neither fits the team’s “younger and faster” motto.
It would make more sense to go after Hollywood Brown, who still has that kick, according to ESPN.
“He still has the third-level speed to attack split-field safeties, plus he can separate from coverage on crossers and unders,” Matt Bowen. “Brown missed the majority of the 2024 season because of a sternoclavicular injury.”
And that’s the problem with Brown: availability. He played only seven games over the past two seasons.
There are other options. A trade would be the best route to fix things. But the Commanders have no spendable draft capital to get that done. So they'll have to hit a first-round homer in the 2026 draft.
