Under the outstanding performance of Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, the Commanders surprised everyone by running to the NFC final game. Though it is naturally a subject of emphasis for the offseason, the team’s defense was a sore spot during the campaign.
Washington can be expected to be aggressive in seeking improvements on defense, ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes. Given Daniels will be linked to his rookie deal through 2027 (with a fifth-year option attainable for the next campaign), it is not surprising. Making significant financial commitments will be far more practical now than it will be throughout the period he will be on an extension for as long as he maintains his franchise passer status.
Middle of the season, the Commanders reset on defense by sending away edge rushers Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the trade deadline. Several fresh faces on that side of the ball arrived with the advent of new head coach Dan Quinn, many of whom he knew from his time serving as the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys. Washington acquired Pro Bowl corner Marson Lattimore from the Saints, therefore staying ahead of the 2024 date.
Though injuries limited him to only five appearances with his new side, the Commanders outbid other suitors to obtain the 28-year-old. Lattimore struggled in coverage during the playoffs specifically, but far before that moment it was obvious the team meant to keep him in the fold via a new agreement. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year is due to carry a cap hit of $18MM in 2025 with a projected $18.5MM figure the following year; none of his scheduled base salaries are guaranteed for that time. An extension might cut his cap costs while giving a new round of locked in payments.
Even if Lattimore is retained, the secondary will be an area of attention for Washington in spring. On that topic, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes Commanders general manager Adam Peters was a big supporter for the 49ers drafting safety Talanoa Hufanga in 2021 (subscription needed). Peters was a part of San Francisco’s front staff at the time, so Hufanga — one of the 49ers’ top pending free agents – would be a logical target if he were to prefer familiar players in March.
With respect to the defensive line, Osa Odighizuwa could be a name to watch. The 26-year-old has spent his first four years as a Cowboy, so he has experience playing under Quinn in Dallas. Graziano’s colleague Jeremy Fowler says Odighizuwa is rated by teams as the top interior defender in the 2025 free agent class, thus he might generate a significant market outside the Commanders. Washington has Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen under contract, though, and the team invested a second-round pick in Jer’Zhan Newton last April. Still, if the Commanders were to target Odighizuwa next month, he may become the next ex-Cowboy to head to the nation’s capital.
Washington currently sits third in the NFL in anticipated 2025 cap space, so finances will not be an issue while Peters & Co. attempt to rebuild a defense which ranked 18th in points allowed and struggled against the run this past season. It will be interesting to watch how proactive the Commanders are this spring as they attempt to build off the success saw during Daniels’ debut campaign.
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