Yahoo Sports What is the Commanders' biggest challenge for this season?

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One of GM Adam Peters' biggest goals during the 2025 offseason was to improve the Washington Commanders' defense. Despite their record last season and despite making it to the NFC Championship game, the Commanders had one of the worst defenses in the league in 2024. So, Peters set out to make some adjustments this offseason, bringing in Javon Kinlaw, Deatrich Wise Jr., Von Miller, and other veterans to bolster the defensive side of the ball.

While the defense looks improved on paper, NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha says that the Commanders' biggest challenge in 2025 is improving on defense.

Biggest challenge: Improving the defense.

There’s been so much excitement about the way quarterback Jayden Daniels captivated the NFL in 2024 that it’s easy to forget about the issues Washington had on defense. Only two teams in the league ranked worse when it came to stopping the run. The only player who produced double-digit sacks for the 2024 Commanders, Dante Fowler Jr., will be playing for the Cowboys this fall. Washington head coach Dan Quinn is a skilled tactician when it comes to designing defensive schemes, and the Commanders were able to overcome their deficiencies in 2024 with their ability to outscore teams. That might have to be the case again. Washington has added some new faces to the defensive line -- edge rusher Von Miller signed recently, while defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw came aboard earlier in the offseason -- but the unit still looks pretty suspect.

What people have to remember about this defense is that the rotation is what will make it work. The average age of the Commanders' defense is 27 years, making it among the oldest in the league. But Peters' win-now approach means the Commanders need those veterans now. Their young players are still developing in some cases, particularly along the line.

When discussing defense improvements, how players are used has to be a factor. No one is expecting Von Miller, Javon Kinlaw, or Deatrich Wise to play every snap of every defensive down. No, the way this defense is structured is so that the rotation allows for load management. Dan Quinn has an expert defensive mind, and with Joe Whitt, they will find the right method to make it work.

The Commanders' defensive improvement is what will make or break their season. Whitt and Quinn will likely use a multitude of different lineups and rotations through the preseason to nail down what they think is best. The biggest test will be the stamina of the players, if their load management is effective enough or if they lose steam by the end of the season.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' biggest challenge in 2025 is improving the defense

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