Rating the Washington Commanders Foundation Under Adam Peters: The Bucky Brooks Formula

Books have been written about the plight of rebuilding the burgundy and gold, a franchise steeped in history, but cursed by a bad owner and a string of bad hires/drafts. Adam Peters is in year three of his complete overhaul, on the heels of last season's 5-12 record that followed a trip to the NFC Championship Game in 2024. Commanders fans are hoping the franchise can get back on the same track they felt they were on a year ago.

Let's put Peters' current roster to the test, or should I say formula.

The Blueprint: Breaking Down Bucky Brooks’ Roster Formula

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks uses a formula to assess whether a team has a solid championship foundation and a ranking system to gauge its strength.

According to Brooks, a potential championship franchise should have the following 12-player formula:

One quarterback
Three offensive playmakers
Three quality offensive linemen
Two pass rushers
Three back-seven playmakers

In addition to the above, each player selected as part of a championship foundation received one of the following color-coded classifications:

BLUE: Top 5-to-10 player at his position.
GREEN: Really solid, dependable starter.
YELLOW: Potential concern due to age, injury, or contract.
PURPLE: Unproven young player with BLUE potential.
PINK: Unproven young player who could become a GREEN -- or maybe even a BLUE.

So, based on Bucky's system, let's take a look at where the Washington Commanders roster currently stacks up.

Quarterback

Heading into his third season at 25-years-old, Jayden Daniels is ready for whatever is ahead for him. One season removed from taking the NFL by storm on the way to the NFC Championship game and being named Rookie of the Year, this young man is focused. At Commanders OTAs this past week, he was asked if he had anything to prove this season, “I mean, I think in this profession, if you feel like you don't have something to prove, then you shouldn't be doing it. So, that should answer your question, yeah.” Does that sound like someone who isn't ready to compete?

Daniels has proven he's a top-tier quarterback within the top 10 of his profession, so he's BLUE.

Offensive Playmakers

Terry McLaurin

Bucky Brookes Formula — Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Denver Broncos during overtime at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The 2025 season was marred from the moment Terry McLaurin didn't report, then "held in," showing up but not practicing, while he and his agent were unhappy with where they were in contract talks. That, along with the seven games he missed due to injury, led to McLaurin missing the 1000-yard mark for the first time since his rookie season. There was a time when he was underrated; that time is no longer. If the team could find a WR2 behind Terry McLaurin, things could be real interesing. His color is BLUE.

Chig Okonkwo

Much of what can be said about Chig Okonkwo is in the yard after catch (YAC) area of conversation. For years, that analytical stat was ignored, but it's impossible to miss that 1,105 of Okonkwo's 2,017 receiving yards came after the catch. If he had been playing elsewhere, his stats would certainly be better after surviving Tennessee and a different starting quarterback every year since 2022. It didn't take long for him and Jayden Daniels to find each other, and it won't take long for them to move the chains either. If he was on another team the last few years, this conversation would be about blue, but Okonkwo is a solid GREEN.

Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt

The guy who just wants to be known as "Bill" was a complete steal for Adam Peters in the seventh round a year ago. While he's never had a 1000-yard season or an All-Pro selection, he proved he's a quality back last season, gaining 805 yards on 175 carries and scoring eight touchdowns. The sky's the limit, and Bill's a homerun hitter in an offense that appears to be set to key off the run in 2026. His color is PURPLE, but he certainly has blue potential.

Quality OL

Samuel Cosmi

Not having Sam Cosmi for 7 games last season was brutal for what he brings to the locker room, let alone the field. Cosmi didn't miss a single game the two years that preceded last season; in fact, he didn't miss a single snap on the field either year. During that time, the trenches became his as a defensive lineman; all learned, one by one, that Sam is the real deal. He's easily top 10 in his profession. BLUE is his color.

Laremy Tunsil

There is an argument to be made that Laremy Tunsil is currently one of the top two left tackles in football. You'll certainly find some sort of debate in the pile, but you will not find anyone saying he's not at least top 5, and you'll be hard-pressed to find another individual who plays the position with as much hand skill and raw power as Tunsil. Tunsil had an 88.9 pass-blocking grade from PFF last year and only gave up two sacks in 14 starts. BLUE is his color.

Josh Conerly Jr

Josh Conerly Jr. had a rough rookie season, but it wasn't rough enough for everyone to worry about what they've seen. Quite frankly, the main thing that I worried about when they drafted Conerly was his strength. Seeing him this spring has shown me that he's been spending time in the weight room and has put on some much-needed muscle. Working in the trenches of the NFL is not for the weak of heart. Josh's color is PURPLE. The difference in him will be quite visible if he continues to hit the weight room hard.

Pass Rushers

Odafe Oweh

Washington desperately needed pass rushers, so they went out and added a few this offseason. At the top of that list, Odafe Oweh is as fast as lightning and ready to prove his value this season. In 79 games (29 starts), most of which were played platooning the role in Baltimore, he has 30.5 sacks, including 7.5 last season. Oweh's color is GREEN, but if used correctly, I could very easily see it upgraded in the near future.

Dorance Armstrong

When the Commanders signed Dorance Armstrong, the team was in desperate need of edge rushers, and Armstrong was a guy Dan Quinn was highly familiar with in Dallas. Adam Peters correctly viewed it as a match and signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal. For a guy who never had more than 8.5 sacks in a single season, that seemed about market price. Armstrong had five sacks in 2024, but had 5.5 sacks in only seven games before injuring his right knee last fall. A major sign that he had started picking up on the system and was seeing the gaps quicker. The film shows things were coming together for him in 2025 before the injury. The problem with it is that he's coming off an injury and entering the last year of his contract at age 28. Armstrong's color is YELLOW.

Back-Seven Playmakers

Frankie Luvu

Frankie Luvu has certainly been a fun player to watch over the 122 games (73 starts) he's been in the league. He's yet to miss a game since signing with Washington before the 2024 season and has registered 185 combined tackles, 17 for loss, to go with 20 QB hits, 13 deflected passes, 11 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. He's also entering the final year of a three-year, $31 million deal at the age of 29. Not to mention the team just got younger and faster around him, and at the same position. Luvu's color is YELLOW.

Trey Amos

24-year-old Trey Amos is a player who came in under the radar for a lot of folks in his rookie season. Looking back now, he proved the team was smart for selecting him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, even if he was only able to participate in 10 games before breaking his fibula and missing the rest of the year. He finished his rookie season (10 games, eight starts) with 32 tackles, one for a loss, along with six passes defended. The sky is the limit for this kid; his color is PURPLE.

Sonny Styles

While Sonny Styles is a rookie, we haven't seen him play a single game of field play; he's an athlete I've seen on the field before. A sideline-to-sideline freak of nature, he was actually a safety when he showed up at Ohio State and was later switched because his 6-5, 244-lb frame was too big to play on the back end. One look at his game film and you'll see why it was an easy decision to draft Styles. He's PURPLE, but not for long.

The Verdict: Are the Commanders Built for a Title?

Bucky Brooks Formula — How the Washington Commanders stack up based on Bucky Brook's 12-player formula. | HTTR4LIFE LLC

The Washington Commanders should no longer be viewed as a team without blue-chip talent or a future. In reality, Washington's GM Adam Peters has been piecing together a 2026 squad that likely raises some eyebrows but ultimately needs time to develop.

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