Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne on the field against the Philadelphia Eagles. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Commanders defensive line eyes improvement ahead of season

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders defense is seen as a bit of a trouble spot for the team.

That was put on display for the world when the Commanders surrendered 55 points to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game nearly six months ago.

Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine thinks offenses will try to copy Philly's blueprint towards beating Washington this season.

Commanders defense exposed vs. Eagles

"There are going to be a lot of teams trying to figure out how to stop Daniels. There are also a lot of teams who are going to surmise that the best way is to keep him off the field," Ballentine wrote.

"The Commanders' inability to stop the run was on full display when they gave up 55 points to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. Philadelphia had 36 carries for 229 yards an seven touchdowns on its way to the Super Bowl.

"The knee-jerk reaction to that would be that no one else in the league has Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. But Will Shipley Jr. chipped in another 77 yards rushing on just four carries."

The Commanders will need to be better on the defensive line in the upcoming season because opposing offenses will target that part of the defense heavily in the 2025 campaign.

Running the football will also kill clock and leave Daniels off the field, which is a viable strategy for Washington's opponents.

The Commanders defense will look to get better at training camp, which begins when rookies report on July 18 and veterans arrive on July 22.