Washington Commanders 2025 Season: Expectations

[Chris]

Will the team be the same, better, worse?

Will the record be similar, better, worse?

Will they win the NFCE?

Will they be a playoff team again?

Who will be the breakout star(s). Who will surprise? Who will take a step back?

This is your chance to be Nostradamus-like. 😉

 

[Riggo44]

Team will be better, record will be worse. We are playing much better teams this year (on paper), and we won a lot of one-score games. Even still, I think a 10-11 win season is not unrealistic.
Eagles will win the first back-to-back division title since 2004. Unless they get decimated by injuries, they should win the division again.
Yes, they will make the playoffs and win a game. But I can't predict another NFCCG appearance, let alone a win. Way too many variables to consider.
Breakout: Martin
Surprise: Magee
Step Back: Wagner. Father time comes for us all.

 

[httrcirca87]

I see the teaming being better than last year. We are more talented than we were last season at WR (assuming Terry finally resigns), RB (I'm a big believer in Croskey-Merritt), OL, and DB. That being said, I expect a worse record as our schedule is much tougher than it was last year. I don't see us winning the East this year. Most likely Philly takes it. We get into the playoffs as a Wild Card. I see our breakout stars being Croskey-Merrit, McCaffrey, and Coleman.

 

[RedWolf]

Will the team be the same, better, worse?
Better

Will the record be similar, better, worse?
11-6?

Will they win the NFCE?
No

Will they be a playoff team again?
Yes

Who will be the breakout star(s). Who will surprise? Who will take a step back?
Deebo breaks out
Bill surprise
Lattimore steps back

This is your chance to be Nostradamus-like. 😉

 

[gbear2]

I think better team w slightly worse record. The real question for me is injuries. We were incredibly lucky on that front last year. We could be better on average, but worse if a position gets a wave of injuries. Can we still be good if we lose 2 starting players on either line or the secondary? I hope we are as lucky or atleast as lucky going into playoff stretch (if we make it).

 

[Bilbo's Baggins]

If 5 takes the next step... Look out.

 

[skinsmarydu]

I think better team w slightly worse record. The real question for me is injuries. We were incredibly lucky on that front last year. We could be better on average, but worse if a position gets a wave of injuries. Can we still be good if we lose 2 starting players on either line or the secondary? I hope we are as lucky or atleast as lucky going into playoff stretch (if we make it).

Agree. This schedule is brutal.
And another reason why I hate the pre-season. The games don't count and players can get injured.

 

[bowhunter]

12-5 Overall.
The NFCE will still be in contest until the final week, with both us and Philly making to the playoffs.
Breakouts will be Coleman becoming a staple at G and (surprisingly) Sinnot as Ertz is unable to complete season #14. As Riggo44 pointed out with Wagner, Father time is undefeated. Zachs temporary injury timeline is extended as Sinnot begins to flower.

 

[Command The Best]

I’m w/Riggo44. I think the schedule alone will be a daunting task, case in point it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to me if we started out 0-2 out of the gates, the Giants imho always play us tough and I’ve said it before if Graham Gano didn’t get hurt in last years game here I think they beat us, but Jones 4th down throw to Nabers was so bad too. Then travel with only a few days rest to take on the Pack there on Thursday Night. Having said all that I still see at least 10 wins and a wild card spot but I don’t think we see another 2024 Championship Game appearance, I’m not a huge fan of our Defense and the jury is still out on Lattimore imho.

My Breakouts: Luke McCaffrey & rookie Trey Amos
Surprise: Brian Robinson (I think this is his season to finally do something, if not it will be his last here hopefully)
Let Down: Deebo (not expecting a whole lot from him)

 

[Henry]

I think the Cowboys and Giants will both be better this year and it's not like we walked all over them last year. I think the schedule will be tougher and we aren't sneaking up on anyone this year. I think it is highly unlikely Saquon Barkley has anywhere close to 2000 yards this season and the Eagles might fall back down to earth just a little bit themselves. I think our defensive line scares me. I don't think we win the East. That's still Philly.

I think 10 wins and the playoffs is reasonable. Daniels is good enough to keep this team competitive as long as he's on the field.

We need to get McLaurin figured out.

That's what I got.

 

[Bulldog]

This is also a much better team IMO than the one we put on the field in 2024.

At the end of the day we got better in the offseason protecting for the pass on the OL and defending the pass at CB.

We also finally moved off the 'undersized but quick' BS on the defensive line and went out and acquired some real run stuffers and guys that can hold up at the point of attack.

You can't give up 200 yards rushing to the Eagles every time we play them and expect to win many of those contests.

I am a bit amused when I read all this BS on the Cowboys and how much better they are 'stealing' Dante Fowler back from Washington.

Fowler is a specialist. At 262 he's going to get exposed in the run game if he is expected to be more than a third down performer. We learned that last year.

If I were Dallas I would rather have kept Jordan Lewis at CB to stop the pass then re-acquire Fowler.

 

[burgold]

The biggest thing I want is not to seen any major regression towards the mean. In the past, we've seen a few good stretches that completely disappeared from next year. Neither Rivera, Gruden, or Shanny seemed to build something from year to year. Each year was like a rookie year. Even with Gibbs II, the team was good every other year, but wasn't following an upward trajectory.

I want to see the good become better and the floor raise on previous areas of weakness. I don't know how that is measured in wins, but I think we will be able to measure it in performance.

 

[Bulldog]

The biggest thing I want is not to seen any major regression towards the mean. In the past, we've seen a few good stretches that completely disappeared from next year. Neither Rivera, Gruden, or Shanny seemed to build something from year to year. Each year was like a rookie year. Even with Gibbs II, the team was good every other year, but wasn't following an upward trajectory.

I want to see the good become better and the floor raise on previous areas of weakness. I don't know how that is measured in wins, but I think we will be able to measure it in performance.

I think the guarantee against such a severe regression is the quarterback.

As long as Daniels is upright Washington has a chance to win most games.

Call it a little bit of the magic dust that KC fans and others like GB have enjoyed over the past number of years.

How many times have we seen an otherwise 7-9 level Packers team during the 2010’s go to the playoffs on the back of Aaron Rodgers individual ability when he was in his prime?

 

[Phantvm]

I see 12-5 and us winning the division. I think we win the SB because Jayden is just that special. People are sleeping on what Deebo alone does for this offense.

Idc if I’m wrong. 12-5 and a SB win is what I’m expecting.

 

[Chris]

I see 12-5 and us winning the division. I think we win the SB because Jayden is just that special. People are sleeping on what Deebo alone does for this offense.

Idc if I’m wrong. 12-5 and a SB win is what I’m expecting.

I love, love, love the optimism! 🥳

 

[Boone]

I think folks are sleeping on our defense, which I expect to be greatly improved. Yes - we did not get a dominant pass rusher. But I think our secondary is going to surprise everyone and that coupled with much better run defense is going to make us a top 10 defense. That means double digit wins.

 

[Bulldog]

I love the immortal line years ago from Stephen A. Smith when asked where a team will finish:

“Who is the quarterback?” 😸

 

[HTTR]

14-3. Last year was a ‘recalibration year’ so I expect improvement in year 2 under DQ. I’m not worried about the teams on the schedule, but they need to be worried about us!!

 

[PETEGEE77]

I see , realistically, a tougher road ahead. 1st we'll have a tougher schedule than last year plus we won't "sneak" up on anyone. Anyone playing us will bring their "A" game. Still we should make the playoffs but I think a 14-3 repeat will be a really tough haul. 11-6 ? 10-7 ? Very possible. On a positive note I now own 2 Jayden Daniels jerseys so that should help alot.

 

[bifflog]

Some light reading on our squad from Warren Sharp's 2025 Preview: