Commanders could be biggest loser of offseason if history repeats

The honeymoon phase is officially over for Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn.

Year 1 was great, and the franchise went all in with Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil arriving via trades, but both moves backfired as a 5-12 season resulted, mainly due to Jayden Daniels' injuries.

The moves for Samuel and Tunsil mean Washington only has two picks in the top 100 and just six overall to fix the roster. That isn't good.

For Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano, the Commanders can't go all-in again on veteran players.

"The Commanders thought they were a few players away from finishing what they started in their surprising first season with Daniels in 2024," Manzano wrote.

"If Daniels can stay healthy, he proved in his sensational rookie year that he’s capable of elevating his teammates regardless of who’s on the field. GM Adam Peters overlooked that and made unnecessary trades for older players, depleting the team's draft picks for the foreseeable future."

More: Analyst offers Mike Evans reality that might soothe Buccaneers' worries

Commanders need Daniels healthy

If we are being honest, one of the biggest worries over Jayden coming into the NFL was his slender frame and what that might mean for his longevity in the league.

Granted, he is only two years into his career, but he has already suffered multiple injuries and only played seven games in 2025.

So, the Commanders have to figure out a way to get Daniels back playing as he did in his rookie season, but also keeping him healthy, because the franchise can't afford for the injuries to pile up this early in his career.

How they approach it will be interesting, and how the franchise handles free agency is a fascinating watch as well.

Just remember, Mr. Peters, no more veteran trades.

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