The Washington Commanders needed to get better this offseason after a disastrous 2025 campaign.
The team seemed to have a clear plan in place — get younger and faster. The team brought in free agents like linebacker Leo Chenal, edge rusher Odafe Oweh, and defensive back Nick Cross to accomplish this. The team also got lucky, with linebacker Sonny Styles falling to them at No. 7 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
So, it certainly appears the team got better… at least on defense. Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports recently ranked each quarterback’s supporting cast, and the Commanders came in near the bottom of the list. The team still has Terry McLaurin, and the notable additions were tight end Chig Okonkwo, running back Rachaad White, and rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams.
However, the receiver core still isn’t great. Treylon Burks is in line to be a starter, and the running back room looks like several good-not-great options. Vacchiano ranked Daniels’ weapons as No. 28 in the league and offered the following:
The only weapon the Commanders added in the passing game was solid (and underrated) TE Chigoziem Okonkwo. They did add veteran RB Rachaad White, who could make for a potent duo with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who had a surprisingly good rookie season after being drafted in the seventh round. Don’t underestimate the loss of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, though. He got a lot of credit for helping Daniels post arguably the best rookie season ever for a quarterback. He’s now replaced by former quarterbacks coach David Blough, who has been an assistant for two seasons and has never called plays before.
Mentioning the loss of Kliff Kingsbury does add another dynamic. Kingsbury is a respected offensive mind, but his replacement, David Blough, is seen as a bright offensive mind around the league. It’s true, Blough has never called plays, so there may be an adjustment period.
As Vacchiano mentioned, though, Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a solid season as a rookie, so adding a change-of-pace back like White should only help. Okonkwo is also a much more athletic option than former tight end Zach Ertz.
The one questionable area is the receiver room. McLaurin is still among the most reliable and underrated receivers in the league, but there’s not much to get excited about beyond him. It seems like the Commanders are counting on the rookie third-rounder Williams to immediately play a large role, which is a risky proposition.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Where does Jayden Daniels’ help rank in the NFL