Former Cowboys Pro Bowl standout predicted to land with rival Commanders in stunning move

The Washington Commanders have proven all offseason they will add any player they feel can help them make a run at a Super Bowl in 2025, after reaching the NFC Championship game in Dan Quinn’s first season as the team’s head coach last season. 

It’s easy to point to Jayden Daniels as the reason for Washington’s sudden turnaround in 2024 after winning just four games in 2023. The Commanders rookie QB put up historic numbers, breaking records along the way, capping off the magical season with NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. 

Any smart football mind can turn on the tape from 2024 and instantly realize Daniels is the rare type of QB who makes everyone around him better. Still, GM Adam Peters has made it a focal point this offseason to add talent around him by trading for 49ers star WR Deebo Samuel and Texans 6-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. And then when the NFL Draft came around, the Commanders continued to ensure their star QB will be well-protected. Washington opted to stay in the first round despite offers to trade back and selected Oregon tackle Josh Connerly Jr. who will almost certainly take over the right tackle position opposite of Tunsil. 

In a division loaded with ferocious pass rushers from the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys it’s clear the Commanders are putting a major emphasis on protecting their franchise passer. 

While Daniels and OC Kliff Kingsbury’s innovative offense were the story of the 2024 season, Peters and Quinn pieced together a defense full of veterans they had familiarity with that brought a high upside to the filed and high character to the locker room. 

Many of last year’s defensive additions had played under Quinn during his time with the Seahawks and Cowboys. Bobby Wagner anchored the defense — and is back again n 2025 — while pass rushers Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorrance Armstrong followed Quinn from Dallas. The Commanders weren’t able to reach a deal to keep Fowler for 2025, but Armstrong will be back for another year. 

The Commanders also drafted Ole Miss CB Trey Amos in the second round, a player many talent evaluators had given a first round grade. 

While the Washington Commanders finished with the No. 13 defense in the NFL in 2024, they are going to need to crack into the top 10 at minimum if they are going to win a Lombardi trophy. 

In a wild series of events, reports have emerged that former Cowboys Pro Bowl LB Jaylon Smith is attempting a NFL comeback after sitting out the entire 2024 campaign. He is currently hoping to make the most out of his invite to Raiders mini-camp, but Anthony Palacios of Last Word on Sports thinks Quinn might target another one of his former players and bring Smith to D.C.

Here’s what he said: 

The Commanders could intervene with the Cowboys since head coach Dan Quinn has been signing several former Cowboys stars. After bringing back Michael Gallup, it shouldn’t be surprising if Quinn brings back Smith out of temporary retirement to run it back with Dorance Armstrong, Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner