Commanders Report Card: The biggest surprises, disappointments, and standouts of roller coaster start of season

Defensive superlatives

MVP: Dorance Armstrong

The Commanders were linked to every big-name pass rusher this offseason, and they stuck with what they had and some quieter signings instead, and Dorance Armstrong has been one of the best in the league. Armstrong is fourth in the league with six sacks and has been one of the top pressure rate players in the league. He's a young part of the foundation of the roster.

Glue guy: Javon Kinlaw

Javon Kinlaw was one of the most hated signings this offseason, and he's been a monster to start the year. He has greatly improved the run defense and sticks his nose in the backfield all season long. His intensity is seen every play. He also blocked a field goal against the Bears. I've loved everything Kinlaw has brought to the team.

Biggest surprise: Daron Payne

Daron Payne has surprised me because he seems revamped this season with Kinlaw next to him. His run defense has been much better this offseason, too, and he's back to getting to the quarterback. He has two sacks and 12 pressures so far, and he has many high-effort plays that stand out on film. It's been encouraging to see the interior of the line play up to the standard more consistently than the rest of the defense.

Biggest disappointment: Quan Martin

I could put so many players in this section, but I'm going with Quan Martin. He was supposed to have a massive breakout season, and nothing changed for him like it did for Mike Sainristil, who has also been disappointing. The missed tackles and busts in coverage have been shocking to see. The weak tackle attempt on D'Andre Swift that gave up a 55-yard touchdown, which changed the game, was the final straw for me. The defense needs to improve, and they can't waste any time.

Turning point of the last six weeks: Quan Martin's missed tackle on Swift

Once again, I'm picking a recent event for the turning point on defense. This was going to be Martin's fumble on Quinton Johnston, which changed momentum for the season, but he gave it right back after allowing Swift to score on a poor tackling effort against the Bears. This is a loss you look back on at the end of the season when you miss the playoffs, and that's the defensive play to blame.

Defense overall grade: C

2025 draft class superlatives

Overachiever: Bill Croskey-Merritt

It hasn't been perfect with the recent fumbles, but coming in as a seventh-round pick and allowing the team to trade a starter in your place is impressive. The Commanders sending running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers opened the door for Croskey-Merritt to thrive, and he had his breakout against the Chargers. He can be a lead back on the team moving forward, and he showed his big-play ability this season. Croskey-Merritt has become a star on and off the field this season.

Rookie we need to see more from: Jaylin Lane

Wide receiver Jaylin Lane has had some flashes in his rookie season, including a punt return for a touchdown, but I'm waiting to see him break out more on offense. We should see Lane carve out more of a role in the second half of the season when he gets more comfortable with the offense. He ran a beautiful route against the Bears for a nice catch, and more of that should be coming.

Underachiever: Kain Medrano

This isn't even Kain Medrano's fault; he's just the one not getting a chance to play. I've been impressed with the rookie class so far, with Conerly Jr. bouncing back, and Trey Amos being a lockdown corner. Medrano should be getting more chances on defense, but it's just not there yet.

Draft class overall grade: B+

Coaching report card

Grade: C

I'm giving the Commanders' coaching staff a C grade for a couple of reasons. These slow starts and double-digit deficits are on coaching and preparation. Joe Whitt Jr. has been bad this season, but so has his players' effort on the field. Poor tackling and lack of communication have been a killer on defense.

Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has had his ups and downs with play calling and not running the ball as much as he should in the earlier games of the season, but he's also been without his top wide receiver McLaurin for the majority of the season so far.

Dan Quinn has made some questionable calls in certain situations, especially right before halftime, and has been trusting kicker Matt Gay way more than he should. There are plenty of fingers to point for why the Commanders' season is off to a rough start.