The Washington Commanders had the best season in 2024 that this team has seen in over 30 years. And it wasn’t supposed to be that way. Everyone thought that Jayden Daniels would take more time to develop and that he wasn’t going to be ready for the NFL when the season started. And, boy, were they all wrong!
In fact, Daniels is the main reason the Commanders made it all the way to the NFC Championship. His ability to extend plays with his feet and keep the ball in the Commanders’ hands is what truly shoved this team into the realm of success. But the NFC Championship is where that dream ended. Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles had their way with Washington’s subpar defense, and it’s one of the reasons PFF named the defensive line the Commanders’ weakest link.
The Commanders’ defensive line ranked 31st in the NFL in PFF grade last season, largely because of poor run defense (39.1 PFF run-defense grade). Edge defender Dorance Armstrong was the only qualified player within the unit who earned at least a 65.0 PFF overall grade. Washington didn’t make a ton of defensive line acquisitions, either, so the unit could struggle once again when facing the league’s elite offensive lines, namely Philadelphia’s.
The Commanders’ run defense was absolutely atrocious in 2024; that’s not a secret. Losing Jonathan Allen will hurt; that’s not a secret either. And maybe they didn’t make a ton of defensive line acquisitions, but they did make some. Javon Kinlaw, Deatrich Wise Jr., Eddie Goldman, and Jacob Martin were all signed during free agency. The Commanders also retained Clelin Ferrell, Sheldon Day, and Jalyn Holmes.
The Commanders kept players they deemed worthy of retention and brought in new players to fill the gaps left by those who departed or to replace the pieces that didn’t quite pan out.
During the 2025 season, the Commanders’ defense will look very different from 2024. While losing a player they loved and remained productive hurts, Adam Peters has brought in players to replace the departed, who he believes will perform better than the ones we lost. It may have been the weakest link in 2024, and even if it is the weakest link in 2025, it should still be an improvement.
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