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Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (1) runs with the ball as Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) and Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (6) chase in the third quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Commanders veteran claims injuries make defensive evaluation unfair

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 11:00 AM ET

LANDOVER, Md. – Remember 2024. It wasn’t that long ago, though it seems forever ago, that the Washington Commanders were the new hot team in the NFL and on their way to the top of the league.

12 months and nearly 12 losses later, the Commanders have come crashing back down to earth, with expectations entering the final two weeks that the next iteration of this team will look much different from this one.

While we will all surely have our opinions on what Washington should and shouldn’t do this offseason, future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner shared his thoughts on how accurately we can analyze the defense from 2025, with the overall sentiment being, not much.

"I don't feel like it's fair to really try to assess that given the injuries that we have, given the things that we're going through,” Wagner said, though he conceded that we–the media–will surely have our assessments, regardless.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Wagner cites injury impact

Of course, to be fair, the players and team aren’t in analysis mode yet, at least not in a season-long sort of way. That time will come, but it will arrive only after the season is done, when coaches break down their units and roster and players get to work with critical self-reflection entering the offseason.

The hope is, for all of them, that the Commanders will be able to put some good things in that reflection before the year comes to an end. Something that unfortunately didn’t happen on a grand scale in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

While the team was competitive for much of the game thanks to the Washington defense keeping the Eagles contained for most of the night, things slipped away quickly as the second half progressed, leading to more than 20 points scored by the visitors and a big night for running back Saquon Barkley, specifically.

Barkley seizes the moment

“Everybody knows he's a great running back, and he's been playing at a high level for a long time,” Wagner said of Barkley after the loss. “He's just looking for a moment to change the game. And if you give him that moment, he's going to take advantage of it."

That moment came with about 11 minutes left in the game. Up one score already, Barkley hit paydirt and extended the Philadelphia lead to 21-10. They didn’t know it at the time, but it was a score the Commanders would prove incapable of matching.

Still, despite the loss and late-game collapse all around, Wagner felt like his unit had good energy, worked their assignments well overall, and gave the offense enough opportunity to take control of the game. “And some of those drives, we just didn't do that. We weren't able to get off the field."

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Team resolved to finish strong

It was those drives that doomed Washington to its 11th loss of the year. But no matter, Wagner is resolved to refuse to allow his team to fold. Instead, the plan is the same in Week 17 as it was in Week 1: Fight together, and fight to the end.

"I think we got a team that just don't give up,” he says. “A team that's going to fight, a team that through the good and bad, we're together and came out here trying to win the game, and that's what we get paid to do."