What is the best-case scenario for Commanders defense in 2026?

This is the most boring time of year for football fans. The NFL Draft is concluded, free-agent moves and trades are at a standstill, OTAs and minicamps are over, and the players are gone until the end of the month. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to talk about; members of the media always find something to talk about.

Earlier this week, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport created the best and worst-case scenarios for each NFL team’s defense. For the Washington Commanders, here’s the best-case defensive scenario that Davenport came up with.

The Commanders ranked last in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed in 2025. They went hard at getting better on that side of the ball in the offseason, whether it was multiple free-agent signings or the selection of Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. If head coach Dan Quinn can coach those new pieces up and the Commanders can go from terrible to so-so, that’s a win for Washington.

The Commanders ranked last in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed in 2025. They went hard at getting better on that side of the ball in the offseason, whether it was multiple free-agent signings or the selection of Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. If head coach Dan Quinn can coach those new pieces up and the Commanders can go from terrible to so-so, that’s a win for Washington.

This is a pretty vague best-case scenario. First, Daronte Jones is the new defensive coordinator. The Commanders will run his scheme, and he has most of the control on that side of the ball. Dan Quinn will absolutely be involved, provide guidance for Jones, and help the players reach their potential. But he has to do that in all three phases, not just defensively.

Second, he spent two-thirds of the description discussing the past rather than what the future holds. Of course, it’s true that if the Commanders can go from terrible to so-so, it’s an improvement. But is it really a win? Being a so-so defense definitely isn’t the goal.

The best-case scenario for the Commanders’ defense is that the new roster members gel with the rest of the team and all remain healthy. They all get along; they learn each other’s tendencies; they learn to anticipate their roles and what the rest of the defense will do in theirs; and they come together as a cohesive unit that knocks the socks off the NFL. That’s the best-case scenario.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: What is the best-case scenario for Commanders defense in 2026?