Adam Peters essentially cleaned house when he took over the Washington Commanders' front office in 2024. And it was desperately needed.
There were two position groups where Peters quite literally started from scratch. He imported an all-new quarterback room for the 2024 season. He also parted company with all six linebackers who had taken the field in 2023.
The story of Washington’s linebacking corps during Ron Rivera’s tenure is either a laugh-out-loud comedy or a gasp-inducing horror story, depending on your point of view. Or maybe it’s a bit of both. Either way, changes were guaranteed.
Peters immediately addressed the issue by signing Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner. He drafted a couple of developmental prospects in Jordan Magee and Dominque Hampton.
Fortunately, in 2024, both Luvu and Wagner stayed healthy and played excellent football. They both earned second-team All-Pro honors — quite an improvement from those moribund years under Rivera. But there were warning signs.
Jordan Magee is emerging as a potential long-term Commanders starter
Wagner was at the end of his career. That was known when he signed a one-year deal. Many fans assumed he was on the club to provide veteran leadership and serve as a mentor to younger players. But he played so well in 2024 that he re-upped for one more campaign.
The main kink in the plan was that neither rookie showed much in 2024. Magee was hurt early and, with the team in a playoff run, was not able to earn many snaps on defense. He was primarily a special teamer in his rookie campaign.
Hampton did not appear able to make the transition from an oversized college safety to a professional linebacker. He would eventually be released before his second season.
Through the first six games of 2025, nothing much had changed for Magee. Luvu and Wagner were still hogging all the snaps at linebacker. But things were very different.
Wagner was still a ferocious tackler in the middle of the field, but his deficiencies in pass coverage were becoming more noticeable. Luvu, who was being tasked with playing more of an edge-rusher position due to roster holes and injury, seemed out of sorts.
Not surprisingly, over the past five weeks, Magee has taken on a much bigger workload. Overall, the former Temple star has looked pretty good.
This is his first sustained action at linebacker in the NFL. In Weeks 1-6, he averaged just four defensive snaps per game. Over the last five, he has averaged more than 30.
In three of those games — against the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Miami Dolphins — he played rather well. In the other two — blowout losses to the Kansas City City and Detroit Lions — Magee, like the entire defense, struggled.
Magee had particular trouble in pass coverage. However, trying to keep up with the complicated passing attacks and the wealth of quality tight ends and backs on both Kansas City and Detroit is challenging for any linebacker.
In other words, Magee still has some growing to do. But he has passed the eye test.
He plays fast. He is athletic. He makes tackles. He has always been a plus athlete, and as he gains experience, he is becoming increasingly comfortable. Watching Wagener for a season and a half has no doubt paid off. Magee looks like a solid young linebacker.
Washington is going to need him to continue his maturation. With Wagner potentially retiring after this year, the Commanders only have a handful of totally untested prospects behind Luvu and Magee. They have limited draft capital, and there are other, more pressing needs to invest in via free agency.
The Commanders need Magee to turn into a quality starting-caliber linebacker. Fortunately, he seems on track to do just that.