2026 NFL Draft, Free Agency

[Fiji Skins Fan]

we currently have the #7 pick - it would be nice to have a higher pick ...
Fans can expect a serious housecleaning this off-season. Adam Peters may try to recover some draft capital via trades. He may try to shed big contracts to free up salary cap space. Whatever he does, he has to hit on several key moves.

Peters needs to hit on his two early draft picks. He has to find mid-level free agents, as he did in 2024, and not gamble on talent, as he did in 2025 with Javon Kinlaw.

The Commanders’ roster still has some good young players. Of course, they still have Daniels. Peters may have gotten greedy in 2025, and the franchise has paid the price. But assuming he has learned from the misstep, the future can still be very bright.


Merry Christmas to all & hopefully a very happy off season's moves for our Redskins in 2026

[Winnipeg_Skins_Fan]

Still sitting at #7 in the draft order. Probably not much change by the end of the season. Should be in good position to grab a premier defender. Reese, Downs or an edge rusher would be my preference.

[Fiji Skins Fan]

Still sitting at #7 in the draft order. ... Should be in good position to grab a premier defender. Reese, Downs or an edge rusher would be my preference.

a lot is going to depend on who we add in free agency AND whether or not we can get value in trading down

I have a lot of faith in these guys continuing to rebuild this roster - we have some good pieces to build around but we should expect to see a lot better product in 2027 which is only 4 years of "fixing" the incredible mess they inherited.

Some moves did not work out but nobody's perfect - Brady was a 6th round pick & Purdy was the last player drafted ...

[skinsfan93]

We need to get more picks. Unless there is a mind blowing defensive player preferably def end, I say we trade the pick and at least get one additional pick.

[Fiji Skins Fan]

The Commanders have been nowhere near the playoffs this year, but all long-term hope is not lost by any stretch. Peters has some cornerstones to build around. He's got a franchise quarterback and left tackle. The offensive line is a bright spot, and hopefully, wide receiver Terry McLaurin can stay clear of the frustrating injury problems that have blighted his 2025 season.
Defensively, it's a mess, and this will be urgently addressed. If Peters can find the necessary upgrades, don't count the Commanders out.

[skins7ny]

It was so frustrating to watch the Falcons-Rams game last week and see FS Xavier Watts get two picks and play great against the run as well. He is exactly the young talent that Adam Peters should have been bringing to our team since the day he got here. Instead, he traded pick 93 plus additional picks for an injured 29-year old CB who had missed almost half of his team's games the previous 2.5 years. Watts was sitting there at 93, and would have been my choice, as i said at the time. Imagine if we had Watts as our starting FS going into next year plus the 4th and the 6th (minus the 5th we got back from the Saints) instead of Lattimore. Plus the difference on our 2026 salary cap between Watts' rookie contract and the $18M+ we are paying Lattimore this year. That trade was a disaster, and Peters should certainly have known better. Lattimore was not an effective or healthy player when the Saints unloaded him on us, and we stupidly relieved them of their mistake. This is one of the reasons why, going in to year three of the Peters regime, we have very little well-established young talent when we should be swimming in them, and have limited ability in which to obtain them this off-season. Peters has to hope that someone makes us a big offer to trade down in rounds 1 or 3 to enable us to accumulate more picks. And then he has to use them wisely, as he appeared to do this past draft after seemingly failing miserably in his first draft with us.

[Farmer Ted]

^^^^Agree 100%. It also kills me that both Emmanuel Forbes and Kam Curl are starting for the Rams.

[Farmer Ted]

We should use our #1 pick on the Ole Miss kicker. Although now that I think about it, when he joins the Redskins, his nickname is guaranteed to be Ole Miss.

[Fiji Skins Fan]

There have been a number of reasons why things did not go well but the following is a big concern ...

According to the league, this year the Commanders have committed 30 false start penalties, directly leading to 17 stalled drives, both of which are the most in the NFL. Factoring in 21 giveaways on offense as well, Washington has essentially handed over 3.5 games' worth of possessions due to self-inflicted mistakes.

IMO that is mainly on the coaching staff

[Farmer Ted]

Yeah, well, Laremy Tunsil led the NFL in false starts in 2024 and was second in total penalties with 13. Our team looked like it was getting too young and our GM didn't want to have to scout too much for the next few drafts so he traded a boatload of picks for Tunsil, and now we are old as crap, have half our starters on the IR, and we we get penalized a ton. I would put a good chunk of the blame on the GM.

[Fiji Skins Fan]

... Laremy Tunsil led the NFL in false starts in 2024 and was second in total penalties with 13. Our team looked like it was getting too young and our GM didn't want to have to scout too much for the next few drafts so he traded a boatload of picks for Tunsil, and now we are old as crap, have half our starters on the IR, and we we get penalized a ton. I would put a good chunk of the blame on the GM.

really?
I disagree with you on Peters making decisions like that ... but then that's why we have places we can come to vent ...

I'm looking forward to seeing what Peters can get done this off season with both the coaching staff & the huge roster overhaul

Dan Quinn will almost certainly be back but both the OC & DC could be replaced & that would raise a lot of issues to address

we're approaching year 3 & most thought it would take years to fix the mess left behind

[skins7ny]

Early games wout great! We are at #5 if we dont screwup and beat theceagles. Perhaps even more valuable, we get the 4th place schedule in 3026 rather than the tougher 3rd.

[Fiji Skins Fan]

UNBELIEVABLE - in the space of 1 week the giants went from having the possibility of the 1st pick in the draft to having the 2nd pick & now could end up with the 6th pick AND the Redskins could end up with the 5th pick

[Fiji Skins Fan]

We beat the Eagles!!!! - we are now picking 7th - There is a HUGE difference from picking 5th - then again, IF we can add some great young players thru free agency, we're probably not trading down anyway

[Winnipeg_Skins_Fan]

We beat the Eagles!!!! - we are now picking 7th - There is a HUGE difference from picking 5th - then again, IF we can add some great young players thru free agency, we're probably not trading down anyway

I couldn’t watch the game as it wasn’t broadcast in my area but I think we got the best of both worlds yesterday.
Got to keep the 7th OA pick and knocked the Eagles from #2 seed. Looks good on smug ass Sirianni.

[Farmer Ted]

I couldn’t watch the game as it wasn’t broadcast in my area but I think we got the best of both worlds yesterday.
Got to keep the 7th OA pick and knocked the Eagles from #2 seed. Looks good on smug ass Sirianni.

Yeah, I don't know what the Eagles were thinking. They went to the super bowl as a two seed last year. They could easily get three home games again as the two seed if Sam Darnold has a five pick game. Instead of hosting the broken down Packers, they get the niners next week. I hope they get their asses handed to them.

I can't believe we only have six picks in the next draft after only having five in the last one. Peters threw away so many picks. The Tunsil trade looks so stupid now. The guy is a penalty machine, and it's not like there was a huge drop off when Coleman replaced him. I mean, we gave up so much for the guy to protect Jayden, and Jayden got hurt every other game he started. The other problem with Tunsil is that having him forced our first round draft pick to change positions, which is a huge waste.

[Moe]

I can't believe we only have six picks in the next draft after only having five in the last one. Peters threw away so many picks. The Tunsil trade looks so stupid now. The guy is a penalty machine, and it's not like there was a huge drop off when Coleman replaced him. I mean, we gave up so much for the guy to protect Jayden, and Jayden got hurt every other game he started. The other problem with Tunsil is that having him forced our first round draft pick to change positions, which is a huge waste.

The Lattimore trade had some logic at the time but it turned out to be a risk that clearly didn't pan out. It's going to happen to every GM and obviously on balance you hope those are far fewer than the hits. They went after a guy with a history of generating turnovers and they didn't get them. Small positive is that he and his crazy salary are off the books.
As for Tunsil, he was very good this year and only had 5 penalties total (3 false starts, 1 holding and 1 undisclosed), that's a massive improvement and he was a strong LT overall. Coleman in far fewer starts and overall plays also had 5 penalties. Conerly struggled early, but he faced a murderer's row of pass rushers and in the last 6-7 weeks he was really playing strong and looking like a guy who can anchor RT for a long time. I don't agree that this trade was a negative and now Coleman might be a really valuable swing or maybe surplus down the line and net some trade value.

[Moe]

WaPo on the win and some questions heading into the off-season:

"In his postgame news conference, Coach Dan Quinn said he didn’t want to reflect just yet on all the ebbs and flows of the season. He will spend the bulk of the day Monday conducting exit interviews with players, then meet again with reporters in the evening.
Instead, Quinn preferred to go back to a word he said he has used more than any other this season: “Finish.”

“It’s really important to see that tonight, to see us finish a super challenging season by the guys absolutely, I thought, just fighting their ass off,” Quinn said. “It’s been tough. We lost a lot of players to injury and [had] just some really tough moments. … I’m proud of the team tonight. They fought, and they finished.”

What happens now?
On Monday morning, players will filter into the team’s practice facility and begin cleaning out their lockers. They will say their goodbyes to one another and provide feedback to the coaching staff. Then they will disperse across the country for the next few months — and some for good.

It will be an offseason of substantial change given Washington’s dismal performance this season and the state of the roster. The Commanders have tons of older players on expiring contracts and at least $89 million in salary cap space. Changes to the coaching staff are expected, too. Quinn and General Manager Adam Peters have an opportunity to drastically improve this team — and in their third season together, there will be pressure on them to do so.

Will Joe Whitt Jr. and Kliff Kingsbury both be back?
Change feels inevitable here. Whitt, the team’s second-year defensive coordinator, lost his play-calling responsibilities in Week 11 and is unlikely to be back. While Quinn left open the possibility that he will continue to call plays next season, he also has spoken about the challenges of juggling defensive game-planning and in-game coaching with his responsibilities as head coach. It appears more likely that he hires a play-calling defensive coordinator while continuing to have input on that side of the ball.

Kingsbury’s future is less clear. He got some chatter as a head-coaching candidate last year and could warrant a few looks again this offseason. But it’s a tougher sell with the Commanders’ offense ranking in the 20s in yards per game rather than the top 10 — even if there are obvious reasons (namely, injuries) for that drop.

It’s important to remember that the departure of either (or both) coordinators would have ripple effects on the rest of the staff. New coordinators tend to bring assistants with them. And the Commanders already have one critical vacancy (quarterbacks coach) that they need to fill.

Which free agent decisions loom largest?
The Commanders will see some major roster turnover over the next six months. Peters and Quinn will have to make a few big decisions on players who are still technically under contract — such as cutting Marshon Lattimore or trading Daron Payne — while weighing which of the team’s 33 free agents to bring back.

There are a few decisions that stand out as particularly pivotal. The most obvious is wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. Washington gave up a fifth-round pick to get him, and he has shown glimpses of being the playmaking weapon Peters envisioned. But with Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey taking steps forward this season and both profiling most naturally in the slot, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Commanders look for a more traditional outside receiver at Samuel’s expense.

Linebacker Bobby Wagner is another interesting one. He made history Sunday by recording his 2,000th regular season tackle — joining Ray Lewis and London Fletcher as the only players in NFL history to reach that milestone, according to Pro Football Reference. Now 35, Wagner has some clear weaknesses — namely dwindling foot speed in coverage — but also some obvious strengths. He’s a durable, reliable run-stuffer who brings a ton of behind-the-scenes leadership value. It’s no accident his locker shares a corner with quarterback Jayden Daniels. Asked about his future Sunday, Wagner said, “I have not thought about anything outside of today.”

Here’s a full list of all the Commanders players who are destined for free agency.

Unrestricted (31): WR Noah Brown, WR Treylon Burks, DL Sheldon Day, QB Jeff Driskel, RB Chase Edmonds, RB Austin Ekeler, TE Zach Ertz, OL George Fant, DL Eddie Goldman, CB Antonio Hamilton Sr., DE Jalyn Holmes, CB Noah Igbinoghene, DE Drake Jackson, TE Tyree Jackson, QB Josh Johnson, CB Jonathan Jones, QB Marcus Mariota, OLB Jacob Martin, RB Jeremy McNichols, OLB Von Miller, WR Chris Moore, OL Lucas Niang, OL Chris Paul, WR Deebo Samuel Sr., OL Trent Scott, OLB Preston Smith, DL Shy Tuttle, LB Bobby Wagner, P Tress Way, DE Deatrich Wise Jr., OL Andrew Wylie

Restricted (1): RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Exclusive rights (1): K Jake Moody

What will Washington do in the draft?
With Sunday’s results, the Commanders are locked into the No. 7 pick in the first round. That’s plenty high enough to find an impact player on defense, which is their greatest need. Expect to hear a lot of talk over the next few months about prospects such as Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, among others.

There’s also a scenario in which Washington trades back in the first round to acquire more picks. That could hinge, in part, on how the quarterback draft class shakes out — and how desperate some of the teams behind them are to move up. After trading away their second- and fourth-round draft picks for Laremy Tunsil, the Commanders certainly could use more draft capital."

[Moe]

ESPN on what Washington has to look at this off-season:

Washington Commanders
2025 record: 5-12
Final FPI ranking: No. 22
Estimated 2026 cap space: $51.2 million
2026 first-round draft pick: No. 7

What is their top offseason priority? Hire a defensive coordinator. Coach Dan Quinn took over playcalling duties from Joe Whitt Jr. for the final seven games, but his preference in the past has been to have someone else run the defense. Whitt, hired in 2024, did not have prior playcalling experience, so it's possible Washington will want someone who has done so in the past.

What is one secondary priority to watch? Add impact players on defense. Washington desperately needs them, otherwise simply changing coordinators won't have a strong enough yield. The Commanders need more speed and youth in their front seven, as well as a starting corner and safety. -- John Keim

Latest on whether they will re-sign wide receiver Deebo Samuel: The Commanders have been pleased with Samuel's acquisition, as it has led to a team-high 72 catches for 727 yards this season. But he turns 30 in January and could be costly to retain. Left guard Chris Paul is also an option for Washington to re-sign. -- Fowler

Early draft outlook: As mentioned above, improving the defensive front seven will be a core need for Washington, especially with linebacker Bobby Wagner set to hit free agency at 36. Ohio State's Arvell Reese would solve a lot of problems in the middle of the defense, but some scouts think he can be an edge rusher in the NFL. That's another priority for Quinn's unit. -- Miller

Big prediction for the offseason: The Commanders will make a big splash by signing running back Breece Hall, a talented rusher and receiver who will be just 25 years old next season. Rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt didn't end up taking the league by storm, and Chris Rodriguez Jr. wasn't spectacular either. Washington finished 21st in run offense DVOA through Week 17 this season. -- Schatz

[Moe]

Next year we face the NFC West, AFC South plus Minnesota and Cincinnati.

[Fiji Skins Fan]

Washington's 2026 season opponents are now set.

Home Opponents:
Cowboys; Giants; Eagles; Seahawks; Falcons; Texans; Colts; Bengals

Away Opponents
Cowboys; Giants; Eagles; Cardinals; 49ers; Vikings; Jaguars; Titans

Washington will face five teams that made the postseason. Several others on the schedule appear to be legitimate bounce-back candidates. But the most crucial thing from Washington's perspective is getting its own house in order before worrying about anyone else.

[Winnipeg_Skins_Fan]

OC Kingsbury gone.
https://www.hogshaven.com/washington-co ... -part-ways

[Fiji Skins Fan]

AND DC Joe Whitt has been let go - Dan Quinn is now 'on notice' - while the 2025 roster was not going to live up to the hype, last season was a disaster.

These next few months will be very important for our success on the field in 2026

[skins7ny]

I have never been a huge Kingsbury fan, but there is no way that this is on him. Peters gave him 2 new OTs, and a gadget player to be his #2 WR, who ended up being Kingsbury's #1 most of the year b/c Peters totally messed up the contract negotiation with Terry. Neither of Peters' WR draft picks (rounds 3 and 4) were productive offensive players, and he was playing a 5tjh-rounder, 6th-rounder and 7th-rounder at RB (I love all 3 of those RBs, but it is not like Peters gave Kingsbury slam - dunk 1000 yard runners to work with).

If anybody should be forced out due to our offense's performance this year, it's Peters, not Kingsbury.

[skins7ny]

2 years into the new regime, and we are already changing offensive and defensive coordinators. This is a mess. It is also an indictment on Peters and Quinn. We are literally starting from scratch, albeit with a few pieces (QB, LT, RT, hopefully 2 CBs, not much else) that we didn't have in place when the new regime took over. Kind of a disaster.

[Fiji Skins Fan]

2 years into the new regime, and we are already changing offensive and defensive coordinators. This is a mess. It is also an indictment on Peters and Quinn. We are literally starting from scratch, albeit with a few pieces (QB, LT, RT, hopefully 2 CBs, not much else) that we didn't have in place when the new regime took over. Kind of a disaster.

from all accounts that I have been reading this is not nearly the 'disaster' that some here are posting

looking forward to Adam Peters & this FO continuing the rebuild & getting this franchise back to respectability

[Fiji Skins Fan]

I do not agree that getting rid of both the DC & OC is an indictment on Peters & Quinn - I see this as a move to get more from the offensive & defensive players - the roster will undergo a massive change this offseason & AP & DQ want to go in a different direction

DQ is in charge of the product on the field & he (& AP) felt that they needed to make these changes - they have a better feel for where we are & where we want to be

we do not have a lot of draft picks but we do have a lot of cap space & need to make good choices

[Farmer Ted]

2 years into the new regime, and we are already changing offensive and defensive coordinators. This is a mess. It is also an indictment on Peters and Quinn. We are literally starting from scratch, albeit with a few pieces (QB, LT, RT, hopefully 2 CBs, not much else) that we didn't have in place when the new regime took over. Kind of a disaster.

We're starting from scratch with the oldest roster in the NFL. That is all Peters fault. He also hired Quinn.

It sounds like they hired Jonathan Gannon as the new DC. I was afraid they'd go after another of Quinn's buddies like Raheem Morris, so I guess that is a good thing. I wonder if Brian Johnson will become the OC, so we'll have ex-eagles' coordinators on both sides of the ball.

I won't miss Kingsbury. He was dead-set on getting Daniels killed. It's one thing for JD to scramble or run the occasional option play, but Kingsbury loved calling inside runs with Daniels, which was insane. He also consistently ignored Rodriguez this season in the second half of games after Rodriguez had gotten off to a good start.

[Moe]

Whitt being let go is no real surprise and a welcome change. I've heard rumors that ex Arizona HC Gannon might get a talk, he put together some strong D's in Philly so we'll see.
As for KK, I'm moderately surprised at the timing, but I don't see this as some dramatic transition. This year would have been tough for any OC to put out a consistently productive unit considering all of the injuries, but there were flaws in his system that were typed out routinely in this very forum: too many QB designed runs, getting away from the running game, lack of use from younger players (TE in particular), etc. The consistent knock against KK was his lack of innovation and changing things up. Moving on now gives them all the time in the world to find a competent replacement.
IMO, this takes some balls to make these moves now and admit it wasn't right. Be easy to limp along again next year and hope it gets better, this gives them a chance to actually make it better with new energy, ideas, concepts, etc. This offense in place is not bad at all and with a few tweaks can be quite good. The D needs a lot of attention for sure, but with even a few upgrades that side can be noticeably more formidable.

[Moe]

We're starting from scratch with the oldest roster in the NFL. That is all Peters fault. He also hired Quinn.

This old roster things is very overblown. Ertz, Wagner, Miller, Wylie and Way skew it way off kilter, but it's likely all of them aside from Way will be gone.