Commanders' unit ranked among most improved in NFL this offseason
· Yahoo Sports
The Washington Commanders made a clear effort to improve on defense this offseason.
The unit underperformed massively in 2025 and will have a new coordinator as well as several new starters. Odafe Oweh, Leo Chenal, and Amik Robertson are just some of the defenders who received deals from the Commanders in free agency.
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The team also moved on from several defenders as well, such as Bobby Wagner, Jacob Martin, and Marshon Lattimore. There was a clear effort to get faster and younger, and it will be interesting to see how that pans out.
As a result of the team's moves, some in the NFL world are high on the Commanders' defense. Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus recently identified the most improved units in the league after free agency. The Commander defense made the list, which will be encouraging to those who watched the 2025 unit.
The aim for the Commanders this offseason was, and still is, to get younger. The roster was the oldest in the league in 2025, and their 2024 season feels like a long time ago. Changes are needed, and so far, the signs are positive. Major moves were made to upgrade the edge, and Odafe Oweh (75.5 grade; 26th) and K’Lavon Chaisson (59.0 grade; 85th) were the big hitters. The Commanders' secondary looks better on paper now. The Marshon Lattimore trade never quite worked out how the front office would have hoped, and he moved on in free agency, but the team replaced him with former Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (48.7 grade; 107th).
As Valentine mentioned, the unit definitely got younger and faster. Whether that translates to wins is to be determined, but it's definitely been a good start.
Oweh, Chenal, and Robertson should all be starters, while Nick Cross and K'Lavon Chaisson should see plenty of time as well. Defensive lineman Tim Settle and edge rusher Charles Omenihu should also be valuable rotational pieces on defense, with Settle having a chance to start.
Notably, the Commanders were the only team in the NFC East to make Valentine's list. Assuming Jayden Daniels is healthy, the team adds another weapon or two on offense and the defense is actually improved, the Commanders could be back in contention sooner than people realize.
It will be interesting to see what the team does with the No. 7 pick in the 2026 draft. Will the Commanders double down on defense, or will they perhaps take an offensive playmaker to help Daniels out? The team also still has plenty of cap space if they want to add some more veterans.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders' unit ranked among NFL's most improved