The Washington Commanders had incredible expectations on their shoulders heading into the 2025 season. Reaching the NFC Championship game in Year 1 under this exciting new regime was beyond any fan's wildest dreams. However, meeting these heights is proving difficult this time around.
Some reporters noticed the warning signs during the summer. Nicki Jhabvala from The Athletic was among those who thought the vibes were off, and she received vitriol from the fan base. But just seven games into the campaign, the team insider is being proven right.
Washington's embarrassing loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7 leaves them at 3-4. They have games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and Detroit Lions upcoming. Unless drastic improvements arrive, there is a very real possibility that Dan Quinn's squad could be 3-7 before their trip to take on the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, Spain.
This will not go unnoticed by general manager Adam Peters as the 2025 trade deadline approaches. The front-office leader has been highly aggressive in terms of incoming players to Washington in recent months. However, he's also had no problem removing deadwood from the equation.
If the Commanders' losing slump continues in the coming weeks, Peters could start planning for the future by selling off assets. And here are five possible candidates in this scenario.
Commanders players who could be traded if the losing slump spirals
Commanders could trade Ben Sinnott
The Washington Commanders still have no idea what tight end Ben Sinnott could become long-term, and we are now almost halfway through his second season. That is a damning indictment of his development and the lack of trust in his capabilities from the coaching staff.
Big things were expected of Sinnott when the Commanders drafted him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He practically redshirted his rookie season as Zach Ertz and John Bates took center stage. Most experts and fans expected the former Kansas State star to receive more reps this season, but the concerning trend persists.
Sinnott has just one target in the passing game, which is astonishing when one considers the injury problems at wide receiver. He's logged 28.5 percent of offensive snaps, but these have come as a blocker and during garbage time more often than not.
Simply put, Sinnott is an unknown quantity. There will be teams out there who were high on his skill set coming out of college. If that results in making the Commanders a legitimate offer for his services, general manager Adam Peters might consider cutting this project short.
It seems unlikely. But if Sinnott cannot increase his influence as the campaign progresses, the Commanders will have a big decision to make next spring.