It didn't take long for the Washington Commanders to make major upgrades on the offensive side of the ball this offseason.
Pro Bowl players like Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil were brought in to bolster an already talent front of the offensive side of the ball. With Jayden Daniels leading the way, the team clearly had a plan to address key points around their quarterback.
The same cannot be said for their defense, though.
Whether it was the loss of Dante Fowler Jr., or Jeremy Chinn, the Commanders have gotten older on the defensive side. They also didn't really address major needs like along the trenches.
Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker went as far as to say the team got worse on defense...and therefore may be in for a down season in 2025.
"The Commanders’ defense still feels lackluster after slotting 29th in EPA per play and 30th in first downs allowed in 2024," Locker writes. "Perhaps Washington has another major trade up its sleeve, but considering how poor the team’s defense was in 2024, expecting better play might be too much unless further moves are made."
Washington is banking on head coach Dan Quinn, a defensive mastermind in his own right, will be enough to make some of the solid players on their roster even better.
It's a major gamble, though.
If they don't have the defense to compete with the elite offenses in the league, Washington may actually be worse than last season. That comes despite how exciting their offense should look in 2025.