The Washington Commanders completely overhauled their defense this offseason, making several key signings. And the players inside the locker room are already fired up about their prowess. Even defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw evaluated the acquired talent along with the returning veterans. And his reaction captures the expectations that fans have from the team’s defense. 

“We got some motherf****** now. Excuse my language. S***, [Odafe] Oweh, he can go,” Kinlaw said via 7NewsDC’s Scott Abraham. “S***, Charles Omenihu can go, s***, K’Lavon [Chaisson] can go, s***, Tim Settle can go, s***, [Deatrich] Wise, you already know he can go. We got [Dorance Armstrong] coming back. S***, Jer’Zhan [Newton] can go. S***, [Daron] Payne can go.” 

“It’s gonna be exciting, bro,” the defensive tackle claimed. “It’s going to be super exciting to play with these guys, for sure. A lot of talent, bro.”

Washington desperately needed to revamp its defense after the 2025 campaign. Washington’s defense ranked dead last, allowing 384.3 yards per game and just 2.4 sacks. They allowed 26.3 points per game and made just 10 total takeaways. They ranked 30th in run defense and 28th in passing defense. 

That weakness didn’t escape league notice. As per ESPN’s John Keim, an opposing coach who faced the Commanders in the second half of the season claimed that he wasn’t worried beyond the interior of the line. In particular, he named Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw. 

To fix these holes, the front office signed three dynamic edge rushers – Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Charles Omenihu. They also drafted Joshua Josephs in the fifth round of the draft. Adam Peters brought Tim Settle back via free agency as their defensive tackle. The team also secured veteran defensive end Deatrich Wise with a contract extension. To solidify the second level, Washington signed linebacker Leo Chenal. They further secured the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. 

The sheer depth of this new rotation gives Quinn endless tactical possibilities. New additions like Oweh and Omenihu bring explosive, game-wrecking speed off the edge. Meanwhile, former first-round pick Chaisson provides a rotational burst to keep the offensive line exhausted. And Newton brings in his elite pass-rushing skills. On paper, this defense is formidable. 

But how much did the team lose to strengthen the defensive lineup?

Are the Washington Commanders ignoring their offense?

The Washington Commanders had a horrible 2025 season. The team went 5-12, ranking 22nd in total yards for the season, and many around the league took note of their failure to capitalize on Jayden Daniels’ passing talent, including NBC Sports’ Patrick Daugherty.

“Adam Peters went all in on 2025. He is currently at the lobby ATM getting ready to buy back in. That was a bust of a campaign,” Daugherty critically wrote as the Commanders headed into the 2026 season. “There is no way to sugarcoat it. It’s nice to have a young star quarterback, but you probably aren’t going to win the Super Bowl if you lack skill player depth, offensive line depth, backfield depth, and high-end defensive talent. Commanders fans can only hope it was a painful but necessary lesson in NFL team-building.” 

Peters paid eight free agents to switch teams, and seven of them went into the defensive lineup. The total contract for the eight players amounted to $214.3 million. Meanwhile, the front office allocated just $27 million to the offense. But why?

Head coach Dan Quinn emphasized raw speed as the driving factor behind the defensive spending spree. He actively wants the defensive unit to be as quick as possible in their pre-snap alignment, fundamentally believing that the team speed allows bridging the talent gaps. And for the offense, his focus is on early downs and striking a balance between runs and passes. 

Washington places immense pressure on Dan Quinn’s expensive defensive overhaul to carry the franchise. But will the aggressive defense work better than it did in 2025?