Commanders Land Former Starting Buccaneers RB With Ties to Jayden Daniels

Most of the craziness that comes with NFL free agency has come and gone, but there are still deals to be made as they continue to trickle in through the rest of the week.

The Washington Commanders have been active on the open market, focusing mainly on the defensive side of the ball, with a couple of offensive moves thrown in as well.

The moves made by the Commanders have brought some excitement back into the fanbase, and that is sure to continue with their newest signing. With quality depth an issue within the offensive backfield, Washington has now signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White to a one-year deal.

Commanders are signing former Bucs RB Rachaad White to a one-year deal, per his agent Sunny Shah. White now reunites with his college quarterback, Jayden Daniels. pic.twitter.com/vG89c7mkWU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2026

White Reunites With Daniels in Washington

White, who was once the starting back in Tampa Bay, will now get to prove himself in a backfield that only features Jacory Croskey-Merritt after being relegated to backup duties behind Bucky Irving.

Commanders fans should be thrilled with the move, especially after Chris Rodriguez Jr. left to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. White is one of the best pass blocking backs in the league, a high-IQ player with good hands and subtle elusiveness in the passing game. All of which should fit well into what the Commanders want to do on offense under David Blough's direction.

His familiarity with playing beside Jayden Daniels during their time at Arizona State will be an added plus, but White will have to work on becoming a bit more explosive in the run game, albeit with above-average vision and patience.

Jayden Daniels Rachaad Whit — ASU QB Jayden Daniels (5) hands the ball off to RB Rachaad White (3) | Michael Chow via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The signing is once again a sign that general manager Adam Peters is continuing to build the roster smartly, with Jayden Daniels' development still in mind. Getting a guy who has a relationship with the young quarterback will only elevate play due to the prior trust that was built up, and while not a flashy back, White should see plenty of time within the offense to complement Croskey-Merritt.

White excels in the short passing game and provides a veteran presence in an otherwise young offense. A versatile, physical back, White can do pretty much anything asked of him, and it will be up to him to take advantage of the volume of work to showcase that he is deserving of a long-term contract following the 2026 season.

Washington now has two backs on their roster and could look to re-sign one of their own free agents still on the market. While that is still a possibility, we can assume that won't happen, and they will instead look to the NFL Draft in April to help supplement White and Croskey-Merritt in the backfield.