Persevering with our previews of the Dallas Cowboys 2026 opponents, it’s time to wrap up the NFC East with the Washington Commanders. Most not too long ago, we regarded on the very new-look New York Giants, who the Cowboys will see in week one, and it gained’t be lengthy after that till the Cowboys play the Commanders, internet hosting them in week two.
The Cowboys swept the Commanders for the second time in three seasons final 12 months, pulling away within the second half of every week seven residence win, and successful at Washington on Christmas Day. Each video games have been marked by the acquainted theme of the Commanders having availability points at quarterback. Jayden Daniels was knocked out of the 44-22 runaway Cowboys win in Arlington, changed by Marcus Mariota. Daniels solely appeared in two extra video games the remainder of the season after this week seven loss, and one in every of them was not on Christmas in opposition to the Cowboys, as that sport was began by journeyman Josh Johnson.
Going into 12 months three of Dan Quinn as head coach, the Commanders are dealing with a little bit of an id disaster, falling from 12-5 and an look within the NFC Championship sport in Daniels’ rookie season to 5-12 battling by way of his accidents final season, just one sport forward of the final place Giants. Just like the Cowboys, the Commanders have achieved nicely to keep up a excessive quantity of continuity on offense, however for the primary time in Quinn’s tenure in Washington he is not going to have Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, and questions persist about their potential to guard Daniels to make any of this matter anyway.
On protection, the Commanders have made quite a lot of adjustments to lean even additional into the model that Quinn needs to play, and even achieved some issues that Cowboys followers acquainted with this protection would definitely name uncharacteristic, most notably drafting an 0ff-ball linebacker within the high ten with Sonny Kinds.
Week two is early sufficient to anticipate the Cowboys to see Jayden Daniels, and if this Commanders protection will get on top of things rapidly as nicely, this sport might simply show to be a second straight shut NFC East battle that can go a great distance in shaping up the ultimate division standings on the finish of the 12 months. Let’s take a better take a look at all the things the Commanders did this offseason to this point.
(Picture by Patrick McDermott/Getty Photographs) Getty Photographs
Commanders Key Free Agent Signings/Departures
OT Laremy Tunsil (Re-signed)QB Marcus Mariota (Re-signed)WR Treylon Burks (Re-signed)
* DEPARTED IN FREE AGENCY
Maybe one of many surprising issues that rubbed off on Dan Quinn throughout his time with the Cowboys is easy methods to prioritize re-signing inside free brokers, as this listing exhibits key re-signings they’ll be counting on within the trenches to guard their Most worthy participant at QB. On the departure facet, it’s fascinating to see two former Cowboys in Biadasz and Igbinoghene depart the crew, in addition to Jonathan Jones leaving the Commanders for the rival Eagles.
The realm the Commanders did essentially the most work with exterior free brokers is the defensive position. Settle, Chaisson, Omenihu, and Oweh give this crew a brand new move rush search for entrance, becoming a member of mainstays in Javon Kinlaw, Daron Payne, and former Cowboy Dorance Armstrong who continues to be with the Commanders. Gone are the times of the Commanders stockpiling Alabama-bred defensive linemen, significantly inside tackles, and having strains that have been good at holding the road of scrimmage, however lacked in juice. Quinn is trying to rebuild an aggressive, penetrating protection beginning with the entrance, and has some large new names within the secondary to tie this protection collectively as nicely.
Ahkello Witherspoon coming over from the Rams is the headline right here together with Rasul Douglas, in addition to Nick Cross at security. The Commanders allowed simply two much less passing touchdowns than the terrible Matt Eberflus led Cowboys protection final season, one much less move play of over 40 yards, and led the league in yards per reception allowed. Even when the Daniels/Kingsbury pairing was in a position to keep collectively and generate large performs all season, this defensive weak point made it tough for the Commanders to seize management of video games. The Commanders blew 4 leads within the fourth quarter of video games final season, and 7 of their 12 losses have been by one rating.
Cowboys followers will know nicely that simply how good a Quinn protection might be depends upon quite a lot of elements nicely past the defensive personnel itself, primarily the kind of help it will get from the crew’s offense. We’ll cowl how this offense will likely be within the fingers of a brand new coordinator within the teaching adjustments part under, however in the case of a protection trying to get extra move rush to guard leads, in addition to enhance on a 4.8 yards per carry allowed (fractionally worse than the Cowboys in ‘25) by forcing teams into more passing situations, relying on a strong run game of your own can be the best elixir. Washington added a capable back in Rachaad White to join Jacory Krosky-Merritt in free agency.
This makes the floor/ceiling of offensive line play, depth out of the backfield, and pass rush three big points of parity between both the Cowboys and Commanders to look at, where both teams will have serious questions to answer in all three phases between now and the start of the season, and finding the right answers could determine which team rises or falls in the standings starting in week two, then not again until week 18 will these teams meet again.
Commanders 2026 Draft Class
Round 1, Pick 7: LB Sonny StylesRound 3, Pick 7 (71 Overall): WR Antonio WilliamsRound 5, Pick 7 (147 Overall): EDGE Joshua JosephsRound 6, Pick 6 (187 Overall): RB Kaytron AllenRound 6, Pick 28 (209 Overall): C Matt GulbinRound 7, Pick 7 (223 Overall): QB Athan Kaliakmanis
The theme of the first round for the NFC East in this year’s draft was cream-of-the-crop Ohio State defensive expertise ending up within the division, and the Commanders have been second to this celebration simply two picks after the Giants drafted Arvell Reese with Sonny Kinds at seven. For a crew with quite a lot of wants that fell from being inside a sport of the Tremendous Bowl two seasons in the past to out of the playoff image early, the pure worth of drafting a linebacker at this spot could not add up, however Kinds – like Caleb Downs who went to the Cowboys – is a “do it all” kind defender that immediately provides a spark to any protection.
(Picture by Hannah Foslien/For The Washington Submit by way of Getty Photographs)
A evident want for the Commanders for a while has additionally been extra help for WR1 Terry McLaurin, which they hope to have present in Antonio Williams within the third spherical out of Clemson. Williams will add versatility to a WR room that additionally introduced in Van Jefferson in free company, and re-signed Treylon Burks. On paper, the Commanders won’t have the depth chart to go together with the anticipated offensive development for 2026 of heavy a number of tight finish units, however they do have plus measurement at extensive receiver, a dual-threat quarterback trying to re-establish himself, and a brand new coordinator that opposing defenses should get a learn on earlier than understanding the place this Washington offense goes.
Commanders 2026 Teaching Modifications
*New to workers this season:
Defensive Coordinator Daronte JonesDefensive line/run sport coordinator Eric Henderson
We’ve teased the largest teaching transfer for the Commanders this offseason, which technically doesn’t make our listing of latest coaches for this season, however changing Kliff Kingsbury as OC is David Blough – who served because the assistant QB coach since 2024 with Daniels/Quinn. Blough ought to be uniquely positioned to name performs to the power of his beginning quarterback, with loads of freedom to take action from a head coach that can have much more defensive duties, breaking in a brand new DC in Daronte Jones. Longtime Quinn lieutenant Joe Whitt is now with Mike McCarthy and the Steelers.
How comfy Daniels appears to be like on this new offense will likely be very fascinating to check straight inside the division recognized to be up for grabs 12 months in and 12 months out. The Giants will likely be asking the identical query in a brand new scheme of their dual-threat QB Jaxson Dart, the Eagles have one other OC for Jalen Hurts, and the Cowboys will likely be significantly hoping a second 12 months of Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams working with Dak Prescott will see Dak at minimal proceed dominating divisional video games, and at greatest an entire lot greater than that.
Additionally new to the circle of belief round Jayden Daniels is QB coach DJ Williams, who’s the son of former Tremendous Bowl successful quarterback Doug Williams for Washington. Williams spent the final two seasons with the Falcons, first as assistant QB coach after which as QB coach.
Daronte Jones comes over as Quinn’s defensive coordinator with a specialty within the secondary, serving because the Vikings DB coach and passing sport coordinator from 2023 till final season. This creates an fascinating dynamic the place Quinn can deal with the entrance seven and Jones focuses on the backend of this defensive with quite a lot of new names. In the meantime, the Cowboys protection now has a coordinator in Christian Parker who’s focus is within the secondary, but in addition a former Vikings coach in Marcus Dixon – this time to deal with the entrance as DL coach.
Lastly, we talked about the Commanders not having as robust of an outlook at tight finish as many different groups going into coaching camp and the preseason proper across the nook. One of many challenges for this place group will even be a brand new coach, as Ben Steele flips from the Cardinals to the Commanders. Steele has been within the NFL since 2014, switching from teaching tight ends to offensive line in 2021 with the Vikings, then the Broncos in 2022, however coached the Cardinals tight ends since 2023 till final season.
Necessary Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs
Generally, the preferred and in addition advanced US-based sport actually might be boiled right down to the efficiency a crew will get from the quarterback place, and it seems like but once more that’s the place the Commanders are for 2026. The protection could undergo some early rising pains earlier than gelling, or could possibly be a season lengthy Achilles heel at occasions, the run sport will virtually definitely want time to develop timing with new names within the backfield, but when this crew isn’t persistently getting large performs, much less turnovers, and fewer sacks out of Daniels, none of this can matter anyway.
Will a considerably unknown offensive thoughts in David Blough have an offense that matches the likes of Brian Schottenheimer’s in 12 months one, who was additionally a league-wide unknown when it got here to how nicely he might name his personal offense whereas additionally being a head coach? Or, will shedding Kingsbury mark the pin being pulled on Dan Quinn being the fitting man for the job in Washington to maintain them in rivalry long-term?
Earlier 2026 Opponent Previews:
