Commanders legend explains the team's frustrating 2-2 start

Expectations have a major impact on how people react to a football team's performance. Take the Washington Commanders, for example, who came into 2024 with nobody expecting much of anything. Because of it, a deep run in the playoffs was a miracle, bringing back memories of 1991 and the former glory the franchise once knew.

So, this season, even with a much tougher schedule ahead of them, the expectations around the Commanders were sky-high. So much so that after a 2-2 start to the season with losses against a team expected to contend themselves and another many predicted would capture their division's championship, some are calling for the jobs of players and coaches alike.

One former Washington player, cornerback DeAngelo Hall, spoke on the record with Betway before the team's most recent loss and leaned into the injury issues it has faced early, and how the storm will clear once medicals can get back on track.

Washington Redskins free safety DeAngelo Hall. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A Legend's Perspective

"Obviously, injuries have been a factor early on, and they miss a big piece of their team in Jayden Daniels. Once they get healthy, I think this is still a team that’s capable of a deep playoff run, just like last year. Right now, they’re a little banged up, but they have to weather that storm," Hall said.

Obviously, missing Daniels is an important part of the equation, and even having to play without star receiver Terry McLaurin in Week 4 is incredibly impactful. However, it hasn't been the offense that has been the major letdown in the two losses, though it has had to carry its share of scrutiny as well.

The Glaring Weakness

Instead, the defense has been the glaring weakness, with blown assignments allowing big plays to teams struggling to manufacture them, or in ways that don't indicate the Commanders have a unit capable of keeping them in shootouts down the stretch.

"They lost Deatrich Wise Jr., who is a pass rusher, for the year, and you need a strong pass rush in this league," Hall says. "So, they went out and signed Preston Smith, who was my young boy back when we drafted him in 2015 in Washington, now he’s an OG in the league. So, they found a replacement there to help the pass rush."

The problem is, Smith has yet to see the field, and young defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste filled in admirably we'd say, but was lost for an extended period of time to a pec injury following the loss to Atlanta in Week 4, so the stabilizing presence on the defensive line continues to be sought out.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin (10). | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Learning From the Past

Washington is no stranger to significant injuries in its past, and Hall called back to the organization's handling of quarterback Robert Griffin III as a reason why this regime will take the smartest path to returning Daniels. So far, that has been the case, as it has been for all injuries under general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn.

While patience is the motto inside the building, some of that is wearing thin already outside of it. And the pressure to figure out how to get the defense back on track is mounting as Washington travels to Los Angeles in search of its first road victory of the 2025 NFL Season.

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