ASHBURN, Va. -- This offseason, the Washington Commanders provided quarterback Jayden Daniels with what they believed he needed most: more protection and more playmakers. It could make a dangerous offense even scarier.
But the question now is: Have they done enough to improve the defense?
If the Commanders are going to take that so-called next step and advance beyond the NFC Championship Game, the defense will need a stronger showing than in 2024.
The offense was fifth in scoring and seventh in yards during Daniels' rookie season. They scored 30 or more points seven times during the regular season -- the same total they had reached in the previous four years combined -- and once in three playoff games. To that group, they added five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, receiver Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. -- their first-round pick in last week's draft.
Meanwhile, the defense was not as accomplished; it ranked 18th in scoring and 13th in points. This offseason, the defense didn't see the kind of star power added that the offense did, but they did address some holes to make them more competitive.
"They need a lot," said one NFC evaluator earlier this offseason.
Much of the predraft attention was focused on Washington adding an edge rusher. However, the Commanders -- long before the draft -- identified more pressing issues to address, such as stopping the run and creating more turnovers.
Those were the two biggest issues the Commanders faced defensively in 2024. They forced 17 turnovers in the regular season -- 20th in the NFL -- and only three teams intercepted fewer passes than the Commanders (7). That's why the evaluator pegged corner as one area Washington needed to upgrade. Following suit, the Commanders used their second-round pick on former Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos -- a player they would have considered in the first round.
Washington also ranked 30th against the run and 28th in yards per carry allowed -- a problem when the top team in the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles, boasted the NFL's second-best rushing attack last season. Considering the Commanders face the Eagles twice a year in the NFC East, and lost to them in the NFC Championship Game, they needed to strengthen their run defense.
"There's a lot of things that we want to get better at," coach Dan Quinn said. "Run defense was certainly part of that."
If they want to compete with the Eagles, better play must start up front. The Eagles surpassed 200 yards rushing in each of the three meetings between the teams last season, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
To combat the run woes, Washington got bigger inside. They added nose tackle Eddie Goldman (332 pounds) and Javon Kinlaw (330 pounds), who will, in part, replace Jonathan Allen, who they released March. Whether or not these two provide more help will be revealed during the season, but they will have more size. Allen said in 2024 that he played between 280-290 pounds, wanting to increase his quickness. Deatrich Wise Jr., too, is a sturdy defensive end at 280 pounds.
"Big run stopper," Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris said of Goldman, who played for Morris last season. "You can't move him. He's got some strong hands. He's one of my favorites."
The Commanders did lose safety Jeremy Chinn to free agency. He was a key defender in the box because of his size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds). They replaced him with veteran safety Will Harris, who is 6-1, 207 pounds.
But what about the pass rush?
While Washington did not draft or sign a dynamic edge rusher (after showing some level of interest in DeMarcus Lawrence and Joey Bosa), it does feel that other strengthened areas of the team -- like the run defense -- can have a trickle-down affect on the pass rush.
"We like that room and we like what we have there," Commanders' assistant general manager Lance Newmark said after the draft. "Certainly not closed to [adding another player], we have a lot of time between now and the season, so there's other opportunities to potentially add there."
While the Commanders were 11th with 43 sacks in 2024, the big issue occurred with their four-man rush, which ranked 26th with 22 sacks and 18th in sacks per drop back. They allowed Dante Fowler Jr. -- the only player on their roster to have recorded double-digit sacks (10.5) -- to leave via free agency.
Washington has created more pass-rushing depth by adding Kinlaw, Wise and Jacob Martin. None have a career high of more than 7.5 sacks in a season but all have had at least 4.0 in a year.
With those reinforcements, they can put more pass rush threats on the field -- Quinn likes Wise's ability to rush inside or outside -- to pair with linebacker Frankie Luvu, who blitzed his way into 8.0 sacks in 2024.
"Players that can do more than one thing and add value that way," Quinn said, "that's a big deal."
They're also hoping tackle Daron Payne, with eight combined sacks the past two years, provides more push inside along with second-year tackle Jer'Zhan Newton.
As Newmark said, there are edge rushers remaining and that Washington has "had some conversations with some potential adds so it's definitely something you think about, 'Hey we might be able to add this player in May.'"
While he didn't cite anyone in particular, Von Miller and Za'Darius Smith remain unsigned.
However, the Commanders are banking on other areas to help the pass rush. By drafting Amos, as multiple league sources said, Washington can potentially play more effective press man coverage -- allowing it to pressure better with five rushers while using one single-high safety.
The Commanders also have Marshon Lattimore at the other corner and remain confident his late-season lapses were due to coming back from a hamstring injury. Amos' presence allows Mike Sainristil to move back inside, where Washington likes him best. It also signed veteran Jonathan Jones.
Amos' ability gives Washington the ability to disguise its coverages better -- he had multiple picks or breakups in college on plays in which he appeared to play man, only to fool the quarterback and break off to zone.
"He's a press corner who can be really physical at the line," general manager Adam Peters said of Amos. "But he can play in any scheme you want. That's what separates him from a lot of different guys."
At Ole Miss this past season, Amos intercepted three passes and broke up 13, so he could help Washington increase its takeaways.
"He can do everything," said Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. "He's got great length and can run, great ball skills. He's going to be a really good starting corner in the NFL... people didn't throw at him very much or else he would've had that much of a bigger year."
So, while they didn't make a big splash, the Commanders remain confident their defensive line has improved with small additions at multiple positions.
As Quinn said recently, "I love the guys we've added."