DeMarcus Lawrence
Getty
A Washington Commanders free-agency arrival is tipped to make a "DeMarcus Lawrence" style impact.
They entered 2026 NFL free agency knowing they needed impact players on defense, and the Washington Commanders signed one tipped to make the same kind of impact five-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence made for the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks last season.
It’s a bold take from NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund, who told JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports, “I think that K’Lavon Chaisson signing is like DeMarcus Lawrence to Seattle last year…The Patriots system isnt designed to get individuals a lot of sacks and he did.”
JP Finlay
Asked @cfrelund her favorite Washington FA signing: “I think that K’Lavon Chaisson signing is like Demarcus Lawrence to Seattle last year…The Patriots system isnt designed to get individuals a lot of sacks and he did.”
The comparison between Chaisson and Lawrence is a curious one on the surface. Chaisson is an edge-rusher expected to generate the pressure from the outside the Commanders have long missed, while Lawrence is a defensive lineman often at his most destructive once he slides inside.
Look beyond the positions, though, and this comp is relevant to the Commanders on a number of levels.
Demarcus Lawrence Reference Good News for Commanders
Lawrence was a favorite of Commanders head coach Dan Quinn when the latter was defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. Quinn knew the value of a highly intense and equally versatile disruptor along the front seven.
He’s expecting Chaisson to tick both boxes, even though he may not elevate Washington’s defensive front the same way Lawrence did for the Seahawks. Lawrence joined an already stacked group, but while Chaisson isn’t surrounded by the same level of talent with the Commanders, he knows how to provide a lift for a rebuilding unit.
That’s just what Chaisson did when he signed with the 4-13 New England Patriots last offseason. He joined other big-money new recruits to instantly transform a Pats’ defense that powered a Super Bowl run, one ended by Lawrence and the Seahawks.
Reaching the big game may not be a realistic ambition for these Commanders in 2026, but Chaisson and other free-agent arrivals can inspire a similar turnaround defensively.
K’Lavon Chaisson Key to Defensive Revamp
Many believe the Commanders got a steal when they handed Chaisson a one-year deal worth $12 million, but his success will depend a lot on the performance of those around him. Specifically, by $100-million rated fellow edge defender Odafe Oweh justifying his hefty payday.
Oweh needs to respond well to the schemes of defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, but the new play-caller’s plan will also be key for Chaisson. So will the ability of a defensive line largely unchanged, save for the return of nose tackle Tim Settle, to dominate the trenches and occupy double teams.
Those things were a big part of why Chaisson enjoyed a banner campaign for the Patriots by logging 10.5 sacks, including playoffs, last season. So were intangibles like Chaisson brining “great energy to the team. From a football standpoint he was willing to do anything and everything…Great athlete, great length, good motor, played a lot of snaps,” according to NBCS Boston’s Phil Perry, who explained Chaisson’s value to Finlay.
JP Finlay
K’Lavon Chaisson scouting report from @PhilAPerry: “Brought great energy to the team. From a football standpoint he was willing to do anything and everything…Great athlete, great length, good motor, played a lot of snaps.”
Chaisson may have been a willing team player, but he also benefited immensely from the attention paid to formidable defensive tackle tandem Milton Williams and Christian Barmore.
The Commanders don’t have quite the same destructive capabilities at the heart of their defensive front. That’s despite the presence of two former first-round draft picks, Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw.
Overpaying for Kinlaw during last year’s free agency cycle drew widespread criticism of Commanders general manager Adam Peters. He’s now left hoping Chaisson and Oweh don’t prompt a similar backlash by failing to meet expectations.
Instead, Quinn and Jones are counting on Chaisson to prove a Lawrence-style bargain.