The Washington Commanders can’t say they haven’t been warned about a “shaky” position group that threatens to undermine their chances to contend in 2025. A group ranked next to last in the NFL.
It’s a defensive line still lacking genuine bluechip talent, despite an influx of several new face this offseason. The warning is from Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus, who cautions, “Washington’s already shaky defensive line could be even worse in 2025. The unit lost edge defender Dante Fowler Jr., who led the team in sacks, and released veteran interior defender Jonathan Allen this offseason. Of the edge defenders and interior defenders still on the team, Dorance Armstrong owns the highest PFF overall grade from 2024 (65.3) but ranked only 56th among edge defenders.”
Buday doesn’t believe the Commanders got better up front via addition by subtraction. In other words, he’s not convinced the new faces can replace what last season’s sack leader Fowler and rugged interior disruptor Allen brought to the trenches.
It’s a sound argument, but the Commanders have good reason to believe this season’s D-line can be better in at least one area.
Commanders Got Bigger Up Front
Being run over by Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game made getting bigger and more versatile up front a priority for the Commanders. They achieved it first by handing major money to Javon Kinlaw.
Although the $45 million deal was slammed by many, Kinlaw is a 6-foot-5, 319-pounder who can add size along the interior or on the edge. He’s also not the only bulkier edge-setter the Commanders plucked off the veteran market.
Former New England Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. is a 6-foot-5, 271-pounder who can lock up double teams on the outside. These run stops against the Kansas City Chiefs from 2020, highlighted by Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar, showcased Wise’s “great pad level, hand power, shed technique.”
Wise will be tougher against the run than Fowler proved last season, while returning ends Clelin Ferrell and Jalyn Holmes will also make a difference, along with natural nose tackle Eddie Goldman, a 332-pound force who’s tough to move in the middle.
Although Ben Standig of The Athletic cautioned “bigger isn’t always better versus the run,” the Commanders will have more beef in the pits.
What remains is whether they have the speed and athleticism to put enough heat on quarterbacks with a four-man rush.
Commanders Still Need to Get Creative for Pressure
Creative blitzing helped the Commanders record 43 sacks last season. It was a respectable number, but the defense had to blitz 31.5 percent of the time, the fifth-highest rate in the NFL, per Pro Football Reference.
All of that scheming helped linebacker Frankie Luvu lead the pass rush. Luvu’s versatility afforded head coach Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. free rein to disguise coverage and pressure.
One of the best ways was this elaborate Cover 2 look that involved sending a rusher up the middle and having both edge players bail into space, per SB Nation’s JP Acosta.
Plays like this were effective, but they also masked the lack of elite athletes along the line. That hasn’t changed, so the Commanders will continue taking risks with additional rushers to generate heat on the pocket.
It could leave them short of pressure against the best teams and elite quarterbacks, but the Commanders will at least be happy if their new-look line is tougher against the run.
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