The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
There are a lot of high expectations for the Washington Commanders heading into the 2026 season, and the "Command Center" crew is break down some of their favorite half-baked takes. Analysts Logan Paulsen, Santana Moss and Fred Smoot break down some of their takes and how realistic they could be.
Jayden Daniels will win an MVP before Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Bo Nix
- Paulsen: "It is kinda half-baked, but part of me is like, 'Why not?' I think it's very, very possible...This is an interesting one to me, because it's so hard to determine. That's why it's half-baked. Determining long-term success is really hard, but in that 2024 season, we saw special stuff from him ... When he's on, there's a magic to him."
- Smoot: "Caleb had a down in his first year and bounced back last year. Drake Maye, I don't think he had a down, but he just started slow. And Bo Nix is the one I'm most confused about, because he balls when he's healthy. But there's something going on with Sean Payton that we don't know."
- Moss: "I think when you think about it, his rookie season...he was on the verge of being an MVP. If he didn't hurt those ribs, who knows? I think it's very possible, and to me, one of the things that builds or creates those kind of guys, those outstanding achievers that are looked at as the greatest of their position, is going through what he's went through. He had an up, then he had a down. So, where do you lie, young fella?"
The Commanders will have two 500-plus rushers in 2026
- Paulsen: "I feel like that's the standard for backfields now ... You don't see a lot of 1,000-yard rushers anymore outside of the true bell cow guys ... With the defense playing a little bit better, it's there, but it's gonna be hard. We just gotta put that thing in the oven and let that thing cook."
- Smoot: "I think [Jacory Croskey-Merritt] will be the lead rusher, Rachaad White goes around 600 and Fatman [Kaytron Allen] leads in touchdowns, because he's gonna be the one that gets you the short yardage. So I'm looking at 900, maybe 1,000 from Bill [Croskey-Merritt], 600 from White."
- Moss: "I don't know who will get the most carries, because for some odd reason, I feel like White is gonna have a chance of being good. He looks like a little receiver out there. But I will say this: let's say Bill is the guy. I don't see any offense that gonna have a guy that's capable of doing what Jayden Daniels can do with the ball in his hands and coming from under center...and a back that's behind a quarterback of that nature not flourishing. You're gonna be cross-eyed half the time if you're a linebacker."
Chig Okonkwo will be a top 10 tight end in 2026
- Paulsen: "He only had 50 catches last year in Tennessee, but I think when you watch all of his targets and catches last year, They use him in a very specific way. We're gonna use him on the seam; we're gonna use him on screens; we're gonna get him a checkdown; that whole thing. And I think he's a little more twitched up than that. He's got a little more nuance than that. I'm not saying he's gonna be Travis Kelce in his prime or George Kittle necessarily, but there is some crossover there."
- Smoot: "That wouldn't shock me ... I think for sure he can get it done. But here's the thing: on offense, you're always a prisoner of the quarterback. What I'm saying is that the only reason people can doubt what he can is because he didn't do it [in Tennessee]. But I always say, 'Tell me who my quarterback is, and I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. So, he has a better quarterback in a better system. He should get...75 easily."
- Moss: "I look at it like this, too: Terry [McLaurin] is on the outside. He's gonna get more eyes than anybody on that offense. Whoever is wide receiver two or three, they're gonna get an eye or two. Who's gonna our tight end that runs like a receiver? That's in a system that...the quarterback knows how to find his tight ends. He's comfortable with throwing that ball over the middle to the guy."
