The Washington Commanders' 2025 season ended earlier this month with a 24-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. They finished with a 5-12 record -- a dramatic slump compared to the 12-5 run in 2024 -- and they're set to spend the next few months trying to build up and improve the roster to reclaim that success.

Though we don't have any say in how the new front office will mold the team going forward, Commanders.com will look back at how each group performed last season, breaking down top performers and looking ahead at where they could go next. The safeties are up next on the list.

On the roster

• Percy Butler
• Will Harris
• Quan Martin
• Tyler Owens
• Jeremy Reaves
• Rob McDaniel (Future)

Top performers (per Pro Football Focus)

• OVR: Percy Butler (69.3)
• RDEF: Tyler Owens (71.3)
• TACK: Percy Butler (80.4)
• PRSH: Quan Martin (88.2)
• COV: Percy Butler (67.3)

Stats to know

• Butler experienced a drastic reduction in defensive snaps in 2025 with just 20 compared to 399 in 2024. However, the 2022 fourth-round pick made the most of his opportunities with Pro Football Focus giving him his best grades in overall defense (69.3) and coverage (67.3).
• Harris' season was interrupted because of a fractured fibula, but the veteran safety had a strong end to the 2025 season in both tackling and coverage. In the last three games of the season, Harris received grades of at least 76 in tackling and allowed just three catches for 37 yards.

Questions to answer

• Is more help coming? The safety position is one of the few on Washington's roster that doesn't have a pending free agent in its midst, so the team could just roll with the same group in 2026. However, there are possibilities for changes this offseason, as several veterans like Jaquon Brisker, Reed Blankenship and Bryan Cook are all scheduled to be free agents. There's also the possibility that the Commanders could take a safety in the draft. Several analysts have connected them with Ohio State's Caleb Downs, and some believe that he is the best overall player in the 2026 class.
• Who will be the starters? There might not be a clear answer on this until the Commanders make any possible tweaks to the position, but it's a legitimate concern for a defense that is in need of retooling. Harris seems to be a lock; he gives the Commanders more flexibility in coverage while also being able to play closer to the line of scrimmage. The other safety spot remains in question. Although the coaching staff still believes in Martin's development, his snap count dramatically decreased near the end of the season. Owens, Butler and Reaves became key contributors but are mostly used on special teams. Considering how much the Commanders struggled to defend the passing game, there's clear room for improvement.