Rip off the band-aid

The Commanders’ 2025 season has hit rock bottom — and it’s time to face the pain head-on.

The 2025 season has been little short of shambolic for the burgundy and gold. After just nine games, it’s fair to say this one is done. On a night when Hall of Famer WR Art Monk saw his number 81 jersey retired, the Commanders utterly failed on both sides of the ball to live up to the pre-game atmosphere and excitement.

It’s somewhat ironic that a receiving great like Monk was honoured – because for the Commanders, there didn’t appear to be a wideout capable of any real separation. This looks like a poor WR group and is one of several areas that will need serious attention in the off-season, whether through free agency, the draft, or both.

The 38–14 defeat was compounded by a likely elbow dislocation to QB Jayden Daniels – and let’s face it, he should have been pulled long before that fourth quarter. HC Dan Quinn might have entered 2025 with one of the safest seats in football – but not anymore. It’s at least lukewarm now, and the Josh Harris ownership group must take a long, hard look at where things stand.

Seattle, like most opponents this season, cut through the Commanders’ defence at will. There are mitigating factors, of course – the injuries to both starting pass rushers, Dorance Armstrong and Deatrich Wise, have been crushing blows to a secondary that relies on even a split-second of additional pressure up front.

Are We Now in a Situation of Trade-Outs?

If I’m Adam Peters, I’m making some calls – and that includes anyone expecting a big payday in 2026 and beyond. I’d make Daron Payne the exception to that rule, but the likes of Laremy Tunsil, Marshon Lattimore (if healthy), and Deebo Samuel could be valuable short-term additions to playoff contenders.

In 2026, it’s also time to put Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz out to pasture (Von Miller is too obvious to mention). They deserve every plaudit for outstanding NFL careers and, in the cases of Wagner and Ertz, for their tremendous contributions to the 2024 season. For the remainder of this campaign, the Commanders should be giving more reps to Jordan Magee and Ben Sinnott. Maybe they’re NFL calibre, maybe they’re not – only live snaps will tell.

Overall Strategy: Get Younger, Get Hungrier

The focus has to be on getting younger, hungrier players on the roster – and giving Jayden Daniels some legitimate weapons for 2026. No more over-the-hill club, and no more bargain-bin free agents.

Call me bold, but drafting a mid-round QB (durable, talented, properly scouted) shouldn’t be ruled out either. I’m not paying Mariota another $10 million a year.

Take the short-term pain of trading out the likes of Tunsil and company – and find out whether Josh Conerly can truly handle the left tackle spot he owned in college. When we rip the band-aid off, it may look ugly at first – but it’ll be real.

The Commanders will finally know just how deep the wound runs, and only then can they start to heal.