Adam Peters is an aggressive roster builder. The Washington Commanders pushed their chips into the middle to cement the team's status at the NFL's top table throughout the offseason. Unfortunately, things haven't gone quite according to plan.
The Commanders are 3-5 after an alarming slump in recent weeks. They have a plethora of injury problems holding them back, and it's a long road before a team that reached the NFC Championship game last season can even think about getting back into the playoffs this time around.
Fans are despondent, and a Week 9 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football would all but eviscerate their chances.
It's also put Peters in a tricky spot before the 2025 trade deadline. The Commanders have salary-cap space to make a move, but disposable draft capital is at a premium. While it seems highly unlikely that Washington will make another trade, nothing should be ruled out completely.
ESPN analyst touts Logan Wilson as potential Commanders trade candidate
Ben Solak from ESPN believes that if the Commanders had another card to play before the November 4 cut-off point, calling the Cincinnati Bengals about the availability of veteran linebacker Logan Wilson wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Something that could take the heat off Bobby Wagner and allow Frankie Luvu to spend more time on the edge.
"The Commanders clearly need short-term help at linebacker, where Bobby Wagner's struggles in pass coverage have become common knowledge for opposing offenses. They also want to walk Frankie Luvu down more onto the edge, as they did against the Chiefs. Wilson is in the back half of his career, but he would immediately fill some of the snaps they need if this defense does execute a midseason turnaround."
Ben Solak
This would be nothing more than a band-aid fix. But if the Commanders want to start looking towards the future, then trading for a veteran like Wilson is not an option.
They need to find out more about what Jordan Magee can offer. His athleticism is absolutely off the charts, and although there are lapses in coverage, this should improve with more experience. Until then, he can give the Commanders explosiveness, urgency, and dynamism at the defensive second level. That's something Wagner cannot provide consistently as his powers wane.
If the Commanders were in contention, it's a different story. Sadly, that's not the case, and Washington needs to consolidate rather than waste more capital, since this season could be a lost cause in the end.
Peters won't hesitate to do what he believes is best. But the well is running dry.