Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Commanders take a loss even after beating rival Eagles

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Caleb Skinner | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 6:02 PM ET

The Washington Commanders were able to battle back and defeat their NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, in the regular season finale 24-17. While the win was nice to have as the season came to a close, it was on the backs of the Eagles, not playing their starters.

Even though the win was sweet in the mouths of fans and the team, the Commanders know that there is much to take care of this offseason to return to themselves to last year's caliber of a team.

One way in being able to do is through the draft, but the Commanders suffered a loss there after their win over the Eagles and the New York Giants win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Commanders win, but lose first round draft pick ground

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the win to the Eagles, the #Commanders now hold the 7th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/ciyCNRA1my
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) January 5, 2026

Commanders get No. 7 overall pick

With the win over the Eagles and the Giants' win over the Cowboys, the Commanders weren't able to creep their way into the top-five picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. As reported, Washington will pick 7th.

Even though it is not overly concerning not making it into the top five picks of this upcoming NFL Draft, it would have been nice. Picking two spots later shouldn't change the approach in the draft either.

The Commanders will be one of the more inactive teams once again this offseason, with a large portion set to enter free agency, but they can make up some numbers by hitting in the draft. Getting a player of elite ability on defense would likely be the most sought-after by the Commanders in their spot, but it will also come down to what they decide to prioritize in free agency.

The defense is an obvious play where the Commanders will need improvement, but focusing on the offensive line will also be key, with starters going down to injury this past season. It's also worth mentioning that the running back room could look a lot different than it did to begin this season.

There are plenty of options for the Commanders at their spot, and they could even look to utilize the pick in a trade if they have someone they don't want to pass up.

Yes, it would have been nice to get a top-five pick in the upcoming draft, but ultimately, a win here seems bigger for the future of this team. And now, it all lies on the shoulders of general manager Adam Peters and company to go out and get the job done.