The 2025 season wasn’t kind to the Washington Commanders. One season after going 12-5 and surprisingly reaching the NFC Championship Game, the Commanders crashed, finishing 5-12 and ending the season with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Last season’s success hid many of Washington’s flaws. Specifically, then-rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels camouflaged many of those flaws. Injuries limited Daniels to only seven games played in 2025. Additionally, the Commanders were hit hard by injuries on both sides of the ball. And, quite frankly, Washington’s defense was just not talented enough.
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Washington has plenty of cap space to improve the roster in free agency. If the Commanders can fill some roster holes in free agency, they could go a number of ways in April’s draft. While Washington has many needs, two stand out: wide receiver and edge rusher. Edge rusher is undoubtedly the team’s most significant need.
Good news: the Commanders’ top needs line up well with the strengths of the 2026 NFL Draft class. Sure, this may not be the strongest draft class, but Washington will be able to find good players throughout the draft.
NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah is set to release his list of top 50 players this week. According to Jeremiah, 11 wide receivers and eight edge rushers will be included in his initial top 50.
It seems doubtful that Washington would use the No. 7 pick on a receiver with so many defensive holes, but it all depends on the player. Generally speaking, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, USC’s Makai Lemon and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson are the only receivers considered for the top 10.
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As far as edge rushers, David Bailey (Texas Tech) and Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) lead the pack. But others, such as T.J. Parker (Clemson), Keldric Faulk (Auburn) and linebacker/EDGE Arvell Reese are some of the EDGE players who will be picked in the first round. Washington will be able to select a top player at No. 7. If it can find a trade partner, moving back may be the right decision. That’s easier said than done.
If the Commanders can find a trade partner, it could be a good way to get back into the second round and come away with an edge rusher and a wide receiver.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Needs line up with 2026 NFL Draft’s strengths
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