An incredible season in which the Washington Commanders blew past all expectations placed them one game away from the Super Bowl in Jayden Daniels‘ rookie year. Head coach Dan Quinn got the most out of his roster, but it became evident that the Commanders were still a step behind the Eagles after losing by 22 points in the NFC Conference Championship.
Related: 5 Washington Commanders offseason moves to return to NFL Playoffs
Recently, ESPN’s Dan Graziano suggested that NFL fans should expect the Commanders to be “aggressive pursuing roster upgrades on defense.” He added that the Commanders could add “an impact player or two” this offseason. So, if Washington is going all-in, who should be some of the Commanders’ 2025 offseason targets?
Sign Haason Reddick
One area the Commanders could improve in to become a Super Bowl-caliber team is their pass rush after ranking 17th in sacks last season. Former Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl sack artist Haason Reddick could be eager to take on his old team twice per year, and he’s still just 30 years old. He averaged 12.6 sacks per season from 2020 to 2023, so Reddick could be a significant addition if coach Quinn can maximize his ceiling.
Related: Dan Quinn could help bring top NFL free agent to Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders trade up for NFL Draft’s top safety Malaki Starks
Once again, there are a number of potentially elite defensive prospects who could help transcend the Commanders’ defense. Yet, many of those players won’t be available by the time the Commanders are on the clock with the 29th overall pick in the first round. Odds are, Georgia’s Malaki Starks, who’s widely considered the best safety in the 2025 NFL Draft, won’t be available, but the Commanders do have two other top 80 selections, which could be used to trade up to solve a position of need.
Related: 2025 NFL mock draft: Raiders and Broncos trade up in latest Round 1 predictions
Sign Pro Bowl CB Byron Murphy
The entire Commanders’ defense only recorded seven interceptions all of last season. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s Byron Murphy had six all by himself in a breakout year for the first-time Pro Bowl cornerback. Now a free agent, the Commanders could prioritize a playmaking corner like Murphy.
Trade for former All-Pro linebacker Demario Davis
While the 36-year-old is past his peak, Demario Davis is a former All-Pro linebacker who’s stuck on a non-contending team. He’d likely welcome a chance to join a team that’s going all in like the Commanders, and adding a linebacker with 196 games of starting experience can’t hurt Washington’s chances to compete.
Trade for Myles Garrett
The biggest blockbuster move that should be on the Commanders’ radar is a trade for Myles Garrett. The former Defensive Player of the Year winner put himself on the trade block, and if the Browns eventually budge, they may prefer to send him out of conference to the AFC. Since the Commanders’ first-round pick is such a late selection, sending it to Cleveland along with their top pick in 2026 for one of the NFL’s best players wouldn’t be a big loss.
Related: 5 Myles Garrett trade landing spots after 4x All-Pro demands trade
