Random Commanders Thoughts

[skinsinparadise]

I’m putting $100 on the commanders to win the NFC championship. If it hits, it pays for a SB trip.

Over 7.5 seems to be a good bet. All the pessimism from the nationals in just about every form - as Sheehan would say bet against where the money is going not with it

 

[Primus Porcus]

A lot of fans wanted us to over pay to get Alex Pierce… wonder if that has changed

 

[bowhunter]

A lot of fans wanted us to over pay to get Alex Pierce… wonder if that has changed

I don't think that's a fair question. Almost all of us wanted to re-sign Tunsil at whatever price as well. Injuries haunt everyone

 

[Primus Porcus]

I don't think that's a fair question. Almost all of us wanted to re-sign Tunsil at whatever price as well. Injuries haunt everyone

Touché

I don’t think the situations are the same but you’re not wrong…

 

[Boone]

I don't think that's a fair question. Almost all of us wanted to re-sign Tunsil at whatever price as well. Injuries haunt everyone

It may not be applicable with Pierce, but the other thing is, we never know what would've happened if different circumstances were in play. Every single thing that happens in someone's life impacts every other thing. We could let a talented player go, watch him get hurt and be lost for that new team's season, and say 'I'm so glad we didn't pay up to keep him' - ignoring the fact that he may not ever have been injured if he'd stayed.

It's silly logic.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Pierce was already injured when Free Agency started right? That's why he had the surgery.

Maybe that's why he didn't want to switch teams. He would have had to pass a physical first.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Interesting article on Eagles installing a similar offense to us (from the sound) this year with a similar OC by description I thought too.

However they have a big advantage in having an established D to practice against and lean on. Huge ask to change both coordinators this year.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49575084/philadelphia-eagles-bought-new-offensive-system-sean-mannion-jalen-hurts

 

[NoCalSkins]

Honestly I think a lot of the negative predictions for the team has a lot to do with how tough the schedule is out of the gate. A lot of the national media likely thinks the season will be buried within the first 10 weeks. You combine that with two new coordinators and there is a natural instinct to think this season is a learning lesson/growth season versus a results season. Can't say I totally disagree but I also think some of the opponents might not be as strong as assumed either. Just gimme .500 going into bye week and I think the team holds the cards the rest of the way.

 

[skinsinparadise]

This is nuts. I am not as much as a homer as some as to this operation but I think its good and with Jayden they have a shot at a SB, even this year. I do understand all the crapping on this team from the national media in just about every form -- mock draft community, anayltics, writers, etc. I saw a tweet today that some dude from PFF ranked this o line as the worst in the NFL. Sharp has the RBs as the worst in the NFL. On and on and on.


29th by NFL.com

NFL Power Rankings: Rams enter preseason on top; Seahawks at No. 3, Patriots outside top 10 | Latest NFL News, Analysis & Updates | NFL.com

Mike Macdonald and John Schneider just led Seattle to the franchise's second Super Bowl title, but the reigning champion Seahawks don't sit atop Nick Shook's NFL Power Rankings. With the preseason officially open, check out the full league pecking order, 1-32.

www.nfl.com

Rank
29


Washington Commanders
Stefon Diggs is now a Commander, which is cool, but Washington's season truly hinges on Jayden Daniels returning fully healthy and finding a way to stay on the field. That, and substantial improvement from the defense, a unit that has been revamped with a large influx of veteran additions after finishing dead last in yards allowed in 2025. This is the year in which Dan Quinn must prove he has strong coaching chops -- or else. It's also the season in which Daniels must prove he's more durable than he was in 2025, a task that undoubtedly becomes more challenging after losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps for what will be a significant portion of the season, if not all of it. There's reason to be hopeful, but it feels increasingly as if the Commanders have to thread the needle to find success in 2026.

 

[bowhunter]

This is nuts. I am not as much as a homer as some as to this operation but I think its good and with Jayden they have a shot at a SB, even this year. I do understand all the crapping on this team from the national media in just about every form -- mock draft community, anayltics, writers, etc. I saw a tweet today that some dude from PFF ranked this o line as the worst in the NFL. Sharp has the RBs as the worst in the NFL. On and on and on.


29th by NFL.com

NFL Power Rankings: Rams enter preseason on top; Seahawks at No. 3, Patriots outside top 10 | Latest NFL News, Analysis & Updates | NFL.com

Mike Macdonald and John Schneider just led Seattle to the franchise's second Super Bowl title, but the reigning champion Seahawks don't sit atop Nick Shook's NFL Power Rankings. With the preseason officially open, check out the full league pecking order, 1-32.

www.nfl.com

Rank
29

Washington Commanders
Stefon Diggs is now a Commander, which is cool, but Washington's season truly hinges on Jayden Daniels returning fully healthy and finding a way to stay on the field. That, and substantial improvement from the defense, a unit that has been revamped with a large influx of veteran additions after finishing dead last in yards allowed in 2025. This is the year in which Dan Quinn must prove he has strong coaching chops -- or else. It's also the season in which Daniels must prove he's more durable than he was in 2025, a task that undoubtedly becomes more challenging after losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps for what will be a significant portion of the season, if not all of it. There's reason to be hopeful, but it feels increasingly as if the Commanders have to thread the needle to find success in 2026.

Tangentially, Has Diggs spoken on comparisons of Maye vs JD?

 

[NickyJ]

It's just semantics, but it grinds my gears reading Daniels has to "find a way" to stay healthy. He got multiple bad injuries in one season. For his entire lifetime, he hardly missed any games. Not in high school, not in college, not in 2024. He doesn't have to find a way. The way is already known.

 

[skinsinparadise]

It's just semantics, but it grinds my gears reading Daniels has to "find a way" to stay healthy. He got multiple bad injuries in one season. For his entire lifetime, he hardly missed any games. Not in high school, not in college, not in 2024. He doesn't have to find a way. The way is already known.

Yeah, I get some analyists like Canty saying the other day (Florio-Simms, too) that they are a wildcard team where its a tough call and could go either way but otherwise the amount of negativity is staggering. Mitchell-Finlay, Grant-Danny been talking about it on their shows today.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I was a big Ben Johnson guy when they were looking for a HC, then i got turned off by his behavior in the process and his comments about not being impressed with this brass. Now, lol, i am wondering.

 

[HTTR]

I was a big Ben Johnson guy when they were looking for a HC, then i got turned off by his behavior in the process and his comments about not being impressed with this brass. Now, lol, i am wondering.

I saw a story saying Jim Haze-lett comes in at 4:30 every morning—that's not doing him much good.

 

[burgold]

 

[NoCalSkins]

I also am curious as to why there is an assumption by some of the prediction folks that the defense will be all-world terrible again this season. I am not expecting a Top 10 defense in 2026 but it should be improved in a lot of areas and if the offense gets back on track the defense doesn't need to be in the top tier(s) for it to equal wins because the defense wasn't even that good in 2024 either.

As far as Jayden Daniels, it wasn't like he was the only injured player on the offense last season.

Lastly, the biggest issue with the rankings is more the teams they have ahead of us. The Browns? The Cardinals? Etc.... Huh?

 

[burgold]

I also am curious as to why there is an assumption by some of the prediction folks that the defense will be all-world terrible again this season. I am not expecting a Top 10 defense in 2026 but it should be improved in a lot of areas and if the offense gets back on track the defense doesn't need to be in the top tier(s) for it to equal wins because the defense wasn't even that good in 2024 either.

As far as Jayden Daniels, it wasn't like he was the only injured player on the offense last season.

Lastly, the biggest issue with the rankings is more the teams they have ahead of us. The Browns? The Cardinals? Etc.... Huh?

Burrow is still being talked about as one of the NFL's best. How often is he out injured? How many embarrassing seasons has his team had in a row?

I think a lot of analysts are lazy. Unless someone is the flavor of the week, they look at last year's stats and figures that's what they will be this week.

 

[McD5]

This is nuts. I am not as much as a homer as some as to this operation but I think its good and with Jayden they have a shot at a SB, even this year. I do understand all the crapping on this team from the national media in just about every form -- mock draft community, anayltics, writers, etc. I saw a tweet today that some dude from PFF ranked this o line as the worst in the NFL. Sharp has the RBs as the worst in the NFL. On and on and on.


29th by NFL.com

NFL Power Rankings: Rams enter preseason on top; Seahawks at No. 3, Patriots outside top 10 | Latest NFL News, Analysis & Updates | NFL.com

Mike Macdonald and John Schneider just led Seattle to the franchise's second Super Bowl title, but the reigning champion Seahawks don't sit atop Nick Shook's NFL Power Rankings. With the preseason officially open, check out the full league pecking order, 1-32.

www.nfl.com

Rank
29

Washington Commanders
Stefon Diggs is now a Commander, which is cool, but Washington's season truly hinges on Jayden Daniels returning fully healthy and finding a way to stay on the field. That, and substantial improvement from the defense, a unit that has been revamped with a large influx of veteran additions after finishing dead last in yards allowed in 2025. This is the year in which Dan Quinn must prove he has strong coaching chops -- or else. It's also the season in which Daniels must prove he's more durable than he was in 2025, a task that undoubtedly becomes more challenging after losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps for what will be a significant portion of the season, if not all of it. There's reason to be hopeful, but it feels increasingly as if the Commanders have to thread the needle to find success in 2026.

29th seems a little harsh. But not a lot of players on our team would start for many other teams in the league.

I'd say we're 25 to 27.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Yeah, I get some analyists like Canty saying the other day (Florio-Simms, too) that they are a wildcard team where its a tough call and could go either way but otherwise the amount of negativity is staggering. Mitchell-Finlay, Grant-Danny been talking about it on their shows today.

The amount of negativity is not staggering because Washington finished 5-12 last year, and that's the last impression anybody has. They also flipped both coordinators to inexperienced coordinators, and as much as NFL people (and by that I mean people who work in the NFL, players, coaches, executives, etc.) like Quinn, the media just sees the largest blown lead in SB history, an average record, and a backwards hat. They don't see a football genius. (And, they're right. He's not. )

It doesn't mean anything. But it's not remotely shocking to me.

EDIT to add: and Daniels was hurt all of last year and a storyline even in the draft was whether he could stay healthy. And he didn't last year.