The 2025-26 NFL season has not gone anywhere near what fans and pundits thought it would for the Washington Commanders. After they shocked folks last year and became the unofficial darlings of the league by going on an improbable run to the NFC Championship Game in year one of the Jayden Daniels era, Washington has fallen back down to what was originally expected of them in what was supposed to be the start of a rebuild.
Now sitting at 3-5 with only an eight percent chance of making the playoffs, the Commanders are facing a tough uphill climb to keep the football remaining on their schedule meaningful.
Injuries have been a major factor in their disappointing play to date. Daniels has missed three weeks and counting with two different ailments, and top weapons like Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel have missed at least one contest each. That's had a large impact on the team's ability to compete.
Rough MNF loss is latest example Commanders should sell at trade deadline
The Commanders were handled on Monday Night Football by the Kansas City Chiefs 28-7 in Week 8. Despite holding Patrick Mahomes and company to just seven points in the first half, the defense collapsed over the final two quarters while the offense couldn't get going.
Washington's offense had 10 first downs in the first half compared to just four in the second, giving its defense hardly any time to rest on the sidelines. After it picked off Mahomes twice in the opening frame, the Commanders secondary became virtually ineffective.
Combined with its injury woes, Washington's inconsistency on the field should be a glaring red flag that there is no postseason in store for the club this year. That's not to say the team isn't going to be competitive in games, but there isn't enough runway left for key guys like Daniels to get healthy and string together wins.
General manager Adam Peters should be taking a hard look at his roster and the team's future goals, and evaluate which players are the most expendable and could return the most value at the Nov. 4 trade deadline.
Best value trade candidates for Washington Commanders
Marshon Lattimore - CB
Lattimore's impressive interception of Mahomes on Monday was his first since 2023. Washington traded three picks in the 2025 draft for the four-time Pro Bowl selection but has not gotten the level of production it expected. The 29-year-old has one more year left on his restructured contract of which he's owed $16.5 million in 2026.
He'll be a tough sell given his disappointing return from injury last season but perhaps Monday's performance could be enough to entice potential buyers. Washington should be able to swing a sixth or seventh rounder for Lattimore from a playoff contender and unload some, if not most, of his contract.
Daron Payne - DT
Payne has been a cornerstone of the Washington defensive line since 2018 but his time could come to a close if Peters wants to try and reload in a heavily talented draft class. In eight games, Payne has recorded 27 total tackles, a sack and forced a fumble. He also blocked a kick which demonstrates his versatility on defense and special teams.
There should be a significant market for up-the-middle pass rushers and Washington could get a decent mid-round pick or more in return. He also has just a single year remaining on his contract and would be owed $16.4 million in 2026. Peters may need to retain some of that to sweeten any deal he negotiates.
The rest of Washington's roster is a mish mosh of mediocre that would be tough to sell. There's even an argument to be made that Peters could get more value out of playing both Lattimore and Payne next season rather than trading them. However, unless the former shows more first half flashes like on Monday, he could just be a waste of a roster spot.