NFL pundit sounds alarm on Commanders' 2025 nightmare scenario

What is the Washington Commanders' biggest potential problem in the upcoming 2025 season? That's a loaded question, but fans are concerned about some concerning positions entering the new campaign.

According to Brad Gagnon from The Bleacher Report, it is fairly broad and fairly typical. The analyst cited the play of the Commanders’ defense as the team's biggest roadblock to success.

He admits there is a degree of nitpicking involved in this analysis. Washington played well across the board last season, far exceeding expectations on its way to a conference title game. The offense was exceptional, so perhaps defense will indeed be the key to equaling or surpassing last year’s performance.

Commanders' defense could make or break the team's playoff push in 2025

General manager Adam Peters clearly recognized that he needed to upgrade the defense this offseason. Half of the starters (plus one) are new to the team. If they play as expected, Joe Whitt Jr.'s unit should achieve better production this year.

It does look promising on paper. But nothing will be known for sure until they do it on the field, beginning against the New York Giants.

Gagnon mentioned two specific areas where Washington’s defense needs to improve. They finished with just 17 takeaways last year. And they were statistically among the worst in the entire NFL against the run.

A fully healthy Marshon Lattimore and exciting rookie Trey Amos should help address the takeaway issue. Having future Pro Football Hall of Famer Von Miller rushing the passer should also assist. Rapidly improving central defenders Quan Martin and Mike Sainristil should be major ball-hawks this year.

As for the run defense, Washington got a lot bigger with Javon Kinlaw in the middle. But Deatrich Wise Jr. on the end might prove even more important. The veteran is a very sound edge-setter in run defense, something the Commanders struggled with at times in 2024.

Washington needs a better, more consistent performance from its defense to match last year’s record. But Gagnon might have looked at several other areas of concern.

The kicking game is supposed to be a good hands — or feet — with the presence of veteran Matt Gay, but he struggled in the preseason. Hopefully, he has that out of his system. If not, it could cost the Commanders games and lead to further roster moves.

The offense will also be breaking in a lot of new players, especially on the protection. Some of those players were on the team last year, but were playing different roles. Cohesiveness across the offensive line could take a while. Quite frankly, any step back by the offense is more problematic than minor pluses or minuses on defense because the Commanders, as currently constituted, rely so heavily on that.

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing Washington is overconfidence. Jayden Daniels was so good last year, and the team won so many close games that players and fans alike might think they are better than they are. This team cannot wait around for the quarterback to make things happen. They will need a complete team effort. That is arguably the biggest looming danger.

For purposes of this Sunday’s game, I will note that Gagnon chose the offensive line as the Giants’ biggest problem. That isn’t exactly breaking news.

A drawing of a Giants quarterback running for his life while Andrew Thomas nurses an injury on the bench was found on a wall in a cave in Altamira. That might help the Commanders take a good step toward solving their biggest problem right off the bat in Week 1.