Where Commanders Rank Among NFL Teams After Active 2026 Free Agency Period

NFL free agency has calmed down considerably as Week 2 of the NFL offseason is fully underway.

The Washington Commanders were quite active in free agency, filling holes across the roster that needed attention after they failed to amount to much last season on their way to a 5-12 record.

Plenty have applauded the Commanders and general manager Adam Peters for what they have been able to accomplish during the free agency period, but others are a bit bullish on the free agent haul, including FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano, who dropped Washington from 17th to 19th in his latest power ranking after the first week of free agency.

"All that cap space and they went for quantity over quality," wrote Vacchiano. "They did make some nice additions on both sides — edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson, cornerback Amik Robertson, linebacker Leo Chenal, tight end Chig Okonkwo and running back Rachaad White. But are any of them really difference-makers?"

Is the Commanders Drop Warranted?

The Commanders entered free agency with nearly the most cap space in the league, and, to Vacchiano's point, they didn't use that leverage to land a top, game-changing option at any position of need. Instead, they chose to spread those funds across many players.

Dropping the Commanders two spots is a bit rough, though, if we are being honest. While they didn't bring in the big name, they absolutely improved their roster from a season ago, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where they focused on strengthening the trenches and becoming more versatile in the middle and backend of the field.

The crux of Vacchiano's point is clear: he is questioning whether or not any of the guys the Commanders brought in will change the direction of the franchise as they look to bounce back from 2025.

Where Vacchiano Misses

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Although there is a strong case to back up Vacchiano's points, the counterargument is even clearer, as a cost-effective quantity that still holds some quality is exactly what the Commanders need as they enter this new stage of their rebuild that started just a couple of seasons ago.

The Commanders have done a great job raising the floor this offseason. They have secured protection for Jayden Daniels with re-signings and a contract extension for Laremy Tunsil. Not only that, but they got Daniels more weapons on offense with the likes of Rachaad White and Chig Okonkwo, just to name a couple, that are underrated in their own right.

The defense needed a major overhaul, and while some of the moves can be seen as gambles, they got younger, more athletic, and more versatile across the board.

Where the Commanders lacked in star power this free agency, they more than made up for it when it comes to how strong a foundation they now have to build on. While Vacchiano and other pundits can see the lack of star power as a problem, the Commanders' front office clearly sees things the opposite way, where a committee of players who can outplay their floor drastically improves the team more than just one or two guys that have a high price tag.