The Washington Commanders have a lot of work to do this offseason if they want to get back on the right track following what has been a woefully disappointing 2025 campaign.
One major need the Commanders have is at edge rusher. Washington ranks 17th in the NFL in sacks and Von Miller, who is a pending free agent, leads the team in that category. Dorance Armstrong, who ranks second, hasn't played since Week 7.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has identified edge rusher as a major need for Washington in 2026 and he wondered aloud if that need could lead to the Commanders looking for trades with teams that have a player on an expiring rookie deal.
More specifically, Fowler suggested the New York Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Jacksonville Jaguars' Travon Walker and the New York Jets' Jermaine Johnson as possible options for Washington.
But Washington could also identify rushers on rookie deals who might want a trade due to inactivity on a contract extension with their current team. The Jaguars' Travon Walker, Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jets' Jermaine Johnson are among players on expiring rookie deals who could be 2027 free agents.
All three players are having a lackluster campaign in the sacks department in 2025, but they have also shown they are capable of more in years past.
Walker had double-digit sacks in 2023 and 2024, Thibodeaux accomplished that feat two seasons ago, and Johnson tallied 7.5 that same season before tearing his Achilles in 2024, which might explain his lackluster production in 2025.
We would say Thibodeaux is the most likely of the three to be moved this offseason.
The Giants are already well-stocked along the edge with Brian Burns and Abdul Carter both under contract for multiple more years and could look to deal from a position of strength to add draft capital to help their rebuild.
The only thing that might give New York pause about trading Thibodeaux is the issues Carter has had that has led to his benching twice this season.
Johnson is the second-most likely of that trio to be moved, seeing as how the Jets are in the midst of a rebuild and could use more draft capital.
But we also know New York really likes Johnson, as evidenced by its high asking price for him at the trade deadline, and the cupboard would be pretty bare at edge rusher if the Jets move him. That isn't likely to sit well with a defensive-minded head coach like Aaron Glenn.
As for Walker, we don't see the Jaguars trading him. Jacksonville is going to be looking to compete once again in 2026 and parting ways with a talented edge rusher just wouldn't make sense for the Jags.
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