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Commanders have multiple X-factors for 2026 season
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- Commanders have multiple X-factors for 2026 season
Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters had several goals this offseason, but one of his biggest focuses was to make the defense younger and faster. He let aging veterans hit the free-agent market and brought in new faces in hopes of achieving that goal.
With all the activity on the defensive side of the ball, when ESPN's Seth Walder was tasked with identifying an X-factor for the Commanders in 2026, he couldn't pick just one.
X factors for 2026:All the defensive additions, including edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson, linebacker Sonny Styles, safety Nick Cross and Robertson. Can this group liven up what was a wildly lacking defensive unit from a year ago that ranked 30th in EPA per play? The Commanders badly need that to happen.
The Commanders' defense took a lot of injuries in 2025, including season-ending injuries to Deatrich Wise, Javonte Jean-Baptiste, and Dorance Armstrong, all expected to be major factors in the Commanders' success. All three of those players are still on the roster, but now they'll be supporting the newcomers.
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How Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, Leo Chenal, Nick Cross, Amik Robertson, and rookie Sonny Styles play in 2026 will play a huge role in whether the Commanders are successful or not. If they play the way everyone expects them to play, this Commanders' defense will be vastly improved over 2025. But it will also be problematic if they either don't live up to expectations or don't function as a unit.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders have multiple X-factors for 2026 season
