The Commanders sign intriguing young free agent who will help fill a desperate need on the roster

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Josh Taylor | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 2:52 PM ET

The Washington Commanders are trying to recover from a Monday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears, but they received some positive news on Tuesday morning to help.

The Commanders need better players, and they need help anywhere they can get it. General manager Adam Peters made many moves this offseason, but you can only do so much without putting yourself in a tough spot roster-wise and financially.

Sometimes you have to get lucky and land a player during the season that can provide low-risk, high-reward, and that's what the Commanders are getting with defensive end Drake Jackson signing with the team.

Commanders sign Drake Jackson

You have to move on after a tough loss, and getting a young player like Jackson, who is coming back from an injury, can be a boost this team needs. The Commanders were one of many teams that held visits for the former second-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers, and Jackson picked Washington. After missing out on wide receiver Kendrick Bourne earlier in the season, this win feels good for the Commanders.

Commanders are signing pass rusher Drake Jackson to their active roster, per agent Drew Rosenhaus.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 14, 2025

NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, were another team that held a visit with Jackson, and they needed him desperately after Za'Darius Smith retired this past week as the team's leading pass rusher. The Commanders' defense has been bad, but Dorance Armstrong has been a bright spot all season long in rushing the quarterback and stopping the run as well. Armstrong got his sixth sack of the season, and he's top five in the league in sacks and pressure rate through the first six games.

We saw what happened when Armstrong had to come out of the game a couple of times against the Bears, and the Commanders already lost Deatrich Wise for the season, and Javontae Jean-Baptiste for a long time. The Commanders signed Preston Smith a few weeks ago, and he's finally starting to play, but the Commanders needed youth on the roster.

The Commanders need youth and speed on defense

We aren't sure what Jackson will look like coming back from a patellar tendon tear in his knee in 2023, but he's been cleared, and he's only 24 years old. He's reuniting with Peters, who was with the 49ers when they drafted him in 2022, and he showed many flashes in his early career.

Drake Jackson leads the NFL with 3 sacks! pic.twitter.com/WK5j7pnPtv
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) September 10, 2023

Jackson is a big 6-foot-4, 273lbs defender who can line up anywhere on the line, and fits this defense. He will likely line up opposite Armstrong when he gets going, but they can also move him inside on some obvious passing situations where Von Miller comes in. The Commanders only had five draft picks in the last draft, and currently have six picks for the 2026 NFL draft, so hitting on a young player like Jackson can essentially be a free draft pick for this roster.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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