5 Commanders who shocked everyone during 2025 offseason program

If the Washington Commanders want to go one better and dethrone the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, they cannot afford any weak links. A collective effort is needed, and all signs are pointing up after an off-season workout program that brought some surprising standouts to the fore.

The Commanders have preached the importance of competition this offseason. Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters believe this brings more from everybody. It keeps urgency high and guarantees that players don't take anything for granted. It also helps build bonds and enhance cohesion much sooner than anticipated.

That's exactly what the Commanders need with increased expectations on their shoulders. Making the final four last season was a miraculous achievement nobody thought possible. Sustaining that greatness to become a perennial contender represents a stiffer challenge, but hopes are high that they can progress with the right blend of youth and experience across the depth chart.

And if a few surprising contributors emerge along the way, the better Washington's chances will be.

With this in mind, here are five Commanders players who shocked everyone for the right reasons over their 2025 offseason program.

Commanders who unexpectedly shone during 2025 offseason program

Percy Butler - Commanders S

It's fair to say that Percy Butler has underachieved over his first three seasons with the Washington Commanders. The talented safety has all the physical tools to be impactful, but his inconsistencies when tasked with responsibilities on the defensive rotation have been glaring. That placed his future firmly in doubt heading into the final year of his rookie deal.

The Commanders are giving Butler another chance to impress. Aside from signing Will Harris to replace Jeremy Chinn, they didn't do much to enhance their safety options this offseason. Those in power have faith in those already around, and the added urgency around Butler's long-term future brought the best out of the former fourth-round pick over Washington's offseason program.

Butler came back into the building looking like a different player, according to head coach Dan Quinn. There was extra purpose regarding his approach, and all signs point to the defensive back playing an important role in 2025 if the same trend continues.

This resurgence won't count for anything if Butler cannot take it through into a competitive setting. But at the very least, the Louisiana product figures to be an integral special-teams contributor and core depth piece behind the starting tandem of Harris and Quan Martin.

Whether that'll be enough for a new deal remains to be seen, but Butler is off to the best possible start.

Jordan Magee - Commanders LB

The Washington Commanders got more than they bargained for with Jordan Magee over early workouts last year. His seamless transition from college to the pros came with widespread praise attached. This led fans to believe that a bigger role than projected was in the offing for the fifth-round selection out of Temple.

Unfortunately, a knee injury that required surgery ended this optimism as quickly as it arrived. Magee was missing for the first half of 2024. He was brought along gradually after that, featuring primarily on special teams rather than being thrust into the defensive rotation.

Although disappointing from the player's perspective, it wasn't an indictment of his long-term outlook by any stretch of the imagination. The Commanders still believe in Magee, and he's only enhanced his potential breakout hopes with an imposing start to preparations for the 2025 campaign.

Magee is drawing rave reviews again. The second-level presence is fast, physical, and explosive at the contact point. This makes him a perfect fit for Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s scheme, and the defensive coordinator has already signaled his intent to get him more involved when competitive action commences.

Whitt believes learning from Bobby Wagner is helping Magee take the next step. Expect to see him feature prominently in three-linebacker sets in 2025, barring any unforeseen misfortune emerging this summer.

Colson Yankoff - Commanders TE

The Commanders' tight end dynamic hasn't changed this offseason. Adam Peters and Dan Quinn opted to stand pat with the options already available, which was the right call after this unit became a surprising area of strength during the previous campaign.

Zach Ertz and John Bates both got another deserved commitment from the franchise. The Commanders remain high on former second-round pick Ben Sinnott entering his NFL sophomore year. There's also the rapid emergence of Colson Yankoff to factor into the equation.

Yankoff joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent last spring and immediately caught the eye to make the 53-man roster. He didn't get much playing time, but the experience of being around the squad has served him well based on his performance levels over Washington's offseason program.

The former UCLA standout looks more comfortable, according to those who were in attendance. Yankoff is evolving as a route runner, and his assured hands could be a useful asset to call upon. Firmly establishing himself is a challenge, but he's given himself a fighting chance if nothing else.

Although Yankoff remains behind Ertz, Bates, and Sinnott in the tight-end pecking order, he's doing enough to make the squad again. Sticking around was always the primary objective.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt - Commanders RB

It's not the first time Jacory Croskey-Merritt has featured in a list like this throughout his first offseason with the Washington Commanders. And if more momentum is generated at training camp, it won't be the last.

The Commanders believe they found a major steal at No. 245 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft when they picked Croskey-Merritt. He'd have likely gone much higher had the NCAA not revoked his eligibility one game into his transfer to Arizona. This was a body blow to the running back, but it worked out well in the end.

Croskey-Merritt hasn't come to make up the numbers. The seventh-round pick senses an opportunity to impact the running back rotation immediately., Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler will lead the charge in the final year of their respective deals, but the first-year pro is well on course to be the team's No. 3 option at worst as things stand.

There's been a lot to like about Croskey-Merritt's explosiveness, speed, and decisiveness. He's a one-cut slasher with the physicality and contact balance needed to exploit gaps at will. If Robinson and Ekeler don't meet expectations behind a much-improved offensive line, the rookie will get a shot.

And who knows, perhaps the Commanders have found their long-term running back option without even trying.

Chris Moore - Commanders WR

Strengthening the wide receiver group was a successfully completed mission by general manager Adam Peters. However, one unheralded pass-catcher is well on course to flipping the script based on his efforts over Washington's offseason program.

Nobody benefited more from Terry McLaurin, Michael Gallup, and Noah Brown missing time than Chris Moore. The savvy veteran was buried down the depth chart after an influx of new arrivals. Making the squad remains a tricky proposition, but his hopes look a lot brighter now.

Moore was an undoubted (and surprising) standout during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. The wideout got all he could handle from the coaching staff, which received a positive response. There were highlights aplenty, something that should stand him in tremendous stead when things get intense over the summer.

It's a crowded room, so much will depend on how many receivers the Commanders take through. McLaurin, Brown, Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, and Deebo Samuel Sr. will go through, but Moore could be ahead of Gallup and others in the pecking order after making a phenomenal impression in recent weeks.

What comes next is more important. Even so, Moore's put himself in a fantastic position to become a surprise not many saw coming.

More Commanders news and analysis