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Washington Commanders News & Rumors

NFC Staff Updates: Vikings, Seahawks, Commanders, Falcons, Packers

By | at February 17, 2026 11:09 pm

The Vikings lost multiple position coaches this offseason, with tight ends coach Brian Angelichio taking the Steelers’ offensive coordinator job while offensive line coach Chris Kuper accepting the same position in Philadelphia. Last week, the team finalized their replacements for those coaches, per a team announcement.

Angelichio will be succeeded by Ryan Cordell, who spent the last four years as the Vikings’ game management coordinator/passing game specialist. He will continue in his new game management role as he transitions to his new job working with Minnesota’s tight ends. That group is currently led by T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver with second-year players Ben Yurosek and Ben Sims set to return in 2026.

To fill Kuper’s role, the Vikings promoted assistant offensive line coach Keith Carter, which in turn opened up his position. Longtime college coach Derek Warehime will fill that vacancy after three years at Coastal Carolina (OL coach/run game coordinator) and three at New Mexico (offensive coordinator/tight ends coach).

Here’s a look at other staff changes from around the NFC:

  • Seahawks offensive line coach John Benton will be staying in Seattle in 2026, according to FOX13’s Curtis Crabtree. Benton interviewed for the team’s offensive coordinator job after Klint Kubiak‘s departure, but was passed over in favor of Brian Fleury. Coaches in Benton’s position may sometimes search for greener pastures with a team that offers a better chance at a future OC gig, but it is hard to argue with his decision to remain with the Super Bowl champs.
  • LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen was reportedly set to take a job on the Commanders’ defensive staff under new DC Daronte Jones, he has reversed course. Lane Kiffin and the Tigers convinced Olsen to stay in Baton Rouge, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
  • Wisconsin wide receivers coach Jordan Reid is expected to take the Falcons’ assistant quarterback job, according to Zenitz. Reid previously served as the WRs coach at Western Michigan; before that, he had internships with the Panthers and the Vikings.
  • The Packers are also drawing from the college ranks. Former Auburn general manager and LSU director of player personnel Will Redmond is set to join Green Bay’s front office in a personnel role (via Zenitz).
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NFC East Rumors: Giants, Okereke, Goedert, Eagles, Ertz, Cowboys

By | at February 16, 2026 8:00 pm

As our Giants Offseason Outlook covered, the team will be making some cost-cutting moves. Three “obvious” cuts are coming, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who tabs Devin Singletary, Graham Gano and James Hudson as soon-to-be released veterans. The Giants can save $5.25MM by releasing Singletary, $4.5MM by cutting Gano and $5.38MM by axing Hudson. Signed on the same day Saquon Barkley defected to the Eagles, Singletary was unable to remain New York’s starter for long. He lost his job to Tyrone Tracy in 2024 and saw Cam Skattebo leapfrog him last year. Tracy’s rookie deal runs through 2027, while Skattebo is signed through 2028. Gano has missed a staggering 28 games since signing a three-year, $16.5MM extension in 2023. The Giants benched Hudson, their hopeful swing tackle, after a penalty-filled Week 2.

While Jon Runyan Jr. was listed as a likely Giants cut months ago, Duggan places Bobby Okereke on the borderline. The team can save $9.25MM by releasing Runyan, while Okereke can bring back $9MM. Okereke, 29, is due a $3MM roster bonus on March 13. With the Giants projected to hold less than $7MM in cap space and making wholesale changes under John Harbaugh, significant roster changes are likely.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • The Eagles gave Dallas Goedert a pay cut in 2025, and while the longtime starter caught a franchise tight end-record 11 touchdown passes last season, The Athletic’s Zach Berman expects the sides to part ways soon. Goedert, 31, will be a free agent next month. A glaring hole will exist at tight end if/once the Eagles move on, but Berman anticipates the team adding a younger option. As PFR’s Connor Byrne noted in his Eagles Offseason Outlook piece, Goedert not being re-signed will tag the team with a hefty dead money bill ($20.49MM) stemming from void years. No other Philly TE surpassed 80 receiving yards in 2025.
  • Goedert’s predecessor, Zach Ertz, is also unsigned for 2026. Coming off an ACL tear, Ertz does not want to retire just yet, ESPN.com’s John Keim notes. Ertz, 35, bounced back with the Commanders by combining for 1,158 receiving yards in his two-season tenure. Jayden Daniels relied on the 13-year veteran in 2024, and he posted a better yards-per-game figure (38.8) in 2025. Still, Ertz being in his mid-30s coming off an ACL tear will limit his market. It is quite possible he remains in free agency until he returns to full strength.
  • The Commanders already took care of one free agent, re-signing punter Tress Way. The veteran specialist’s one-year contract is worth $3.04MM; almost all of that figure is guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.
  • The Giants will need to make a decision on their right tackle soon. Jermaine Eluemunor profiles as a player the team may want to retain. He started 34 games over the past two seasons in New York and was a fifth-round Ravens draftee in 2017, playing two Baltimore seasons. Eluemunor, 31, could draw between $7-$10MM per year, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. With Eluemunor already earning $7MM per year on his 2024 Giants deal, it should be expected the proven starter fetches more. He joins Braden Smith, Jack Conklin and Jonah Williams as experienced RTs set to hit the market.
  • The Cowboys have made three new coaching hires. They are adding Kyle Fuller as assistant O-line coach and Scott Symons as inside linebackers coach, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer and CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer report. Fuller, who played for six teams in a seven-year O-line career, served as a Raiders quality control coach in 2025. Symons will make a cross-town move, being hired after three years as SMU’s DC. The Mustangs finished as a top-35 defense nationally in each of the past three seasons, winning 31 games in that span. Dallas is also hiring Demeitre Brim as assistant D-line coach, per Zenitz. Brim comes over after one season with the Golden Knights, previously coaching at Nebraska and Lehigh.
  • Wrapping this coaching roundup, the Commanders are hiring LSU’s Jake Olsen to their defensive staff, Zenitz adds. Olsen spent the past two seasons as the Tigers’ safeties coach. Olsen was at Mizzou from 2022-23 but coached under new Commanders DC Daronte Jones at LSU in 2021.
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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 15, 2026 10:15 pm

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-18-26 (10:39am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Offseason Outlook: Washington Commanders

By | at February 14, 2026 10:50 pm

While Jayden Daniels' injuries protected him from labels of a sophomore slump, the Commanders acted swiftly with interesting changes following their wildly disappointing season. The 2024 NFC runner-ups crashed back to earth with a 5-12 finish. Washington cleaned house on the coordinator level, booting Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt after two seasons. Their replacements are less experienced, and Dan Quinn has moved closer to the hot seat.

The Commanders also came into last season with the NFL's oldest roster. They have plenty of work to do to surround Daniels and other core players with younger supplementary pieces as they attempt to dig out of this current hole.

Coaching/front office:

Quinn yanked play-calling duties from Whitt midseason, making the Washington DC position likely to become vacant. But the Kingsbury ouster was unexpected. Resurfacing as a coveted HC interviewee in 2025, the veteran play-caller was out of a job a year later. Teams still called up Kingsbury for HC interviews this offseason, but his Commanders exit brings significant questions.

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Commanders Eyeing Laremy Tunsil Extension; Latest On Daron Payne

By | at February 10, 2026 10:16 pm

Laremy Tunsil has brought back two big trade packages in his career. While the haul the Texans parted with to acquire the veteran left tackle dwarfs what the Commanders sent to Houston for his rights, Washington still included four draft picks to upgrade at the premium position.

The Commanders traded second-, third-, fourth- and seventh-round picks to the Texans for Tunsil and a fourth last March. Tunsil delivered another strong year at LT, but he missed three games and did not receive an original-ballot Pro Bowl invite. Still, the Commanders were satisfied with the upgrade he provided.

[RELATED: Commanders Extend P Tress Way]

GM Adam Peters said the team wants to extend Tunsil “sooner rather than later,” via ESPN.com’s John Keim. Peters said “constant communication” has taken place between team and player on a new deal — one that would be Tunsil’s fourth NFL agreement.

Rumblings about an extension push emerged in December. Beyond his Dolphins rookie contract, the Texans paid the former first-rounder in 2020 and 2023. Tunsil is still tied to a three-year, $75MM deal. That pact expires after the 2026 season. The Texans not prioritizing a Tunsil deal in 2024 led them to move on.

If Tunsil enters this season on his current deal, he will (barring a restructure) count $24.91MM on Washington’s cap sheet. The Commanders are in good position to pay their blindside blocker, holding a projected $76MM-plus in cap space. That number should grow ahead of the league year (March 11), giving the team plenty of room to work out a deal with the 11th-year veteran.

Pro Football Focus ranked Tunsil seventh among qualified tackles in 2025, ranking him as the NFL’s second-best pass blocker. Much of Tunsil’s season came protecting Marcus Mariota, with Jayden Daniels playing only seven games. The Commanders sought Tunsil to provide an upgrade on their Cornelius Lucas–Brandon Coleman situation from 2024, but Tunsil and Daniels did not see too much time together. The team has since moved on from OC Kliff Kingsbury, with David Blough promoted to replace him.

Tunsil, 31, has driven a hard bargain in the past. The Texans sending two first-round picks and a second to the Dolphins for Tunsil in 2019 emboldened the Pro Bowl LT to command a market-shifting extension ($22MM per year) in 2020. The market did not move much between Tunsil’s first and second deals, but he scored $50MM guaranteed at signing (compared to $40MM at signing in 2020) on his 2023 Houston extension. The Commanders would owe Tunsil a $20.95MM base salary on that contract, but given what the NFC East team gave up to acquire him, an extension seems likely.

Washington has two veteran contracts on its O-line, with Samuel Cosmi at $18.5MM per year and Tyler Biadasz at $10MM AAV. The latter also looms as an extension candidate, but Tunsil will be the higher priority. The Commanders can save $18.5MM by releasing Marshon Lattimore and nearly $4MM by cutting Nick Allegretti. The team can also create cap space with a Daron Payne extension, but Keim adds that is not a given just yet.

Extended after being franchise-tagged in 2023, Payne is in a contract year. The veteran defensive tackle is due to count a team-high $27.95MM on this year’s cap sheet. The Ron Rivera regime paid Payne, who was a Bruce Allen draft choice. The Commanders were pleased with Payne’s play in 2025, per Keim, who adds a “definite chance” exists he plays out his contract. Payne is going into an age-29 season; he would be positioned to land another lucrative contract if he hits free agency in 2027.

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Wes Welker To Remain On Commanders’ Staff In 2026

By | at February 10, 2026 2:36 pm

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn addressed the media on Tuesday. During the press conference, he made a number of announcements regarding the team’s coaching staff for next year.

Among those was the confirmation that Wes Welker will remain with the Commanders for 2026. Welker joined Washington’s staff last April, holding the title of personnel analyst.

While Welker’s exact role for next season has not yet been clarified, he will work on the Commanders’ offensive staff (h/t JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington). Quinn said Welker helped out on special teams last season while Commanders assistant ST coordinator Brian Schneider battled cancer (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic).

As an NFL wide receiver from 2004-15, Welker’s expertise is on the offensive side of the ball. With 903 catches, 50 receiving touchdowns and five Pro Bowl nods, Welker enjoyed an especially impressive playing career. He began as a coach in 2017 with the Texans as an offensive/special teams assistant, a position he held for two seasons.

After his Houston tenure concluded, Welker went on to coach receivers for the next six seasons. He divided his time between San Francisco (2019-21) and Miami (2022-24), working alongside Mike McDaniel in both stops. Welker’s partnership with McDaniel ended when Quinn hired him.

Elsewhere on Washington’s staff, Quinn announced new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones will have the authority to implement his own system (via Finlay). Jones, a first-time NFL DC, spent the past four years coaching the Vikings’ defensive backs. He’s replacing the fired Joe Whitt, who lost his job after a season in which Quinn stripped him of play-calling duties. Jones will take over for Quinn as the play-caller in 2026.

Washington’s Jones-led defensive staff will include William Gay as the cornerbacks coach and Darryl Tapp as an assistant D-line coach, per John Keim of ESPN. Gay, a longtime NFL corner, was the Commanders’ assistant DBs coach from 2024-25. Tapp was the Commanders’ line coach for the past two years, but the former defensive end will take a step back next season. He’ll work under new DL coach Eric Henderson.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

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Final 2026 NFL Draft Order

By | at February 9, 2026 8:59 am

With Super Bowl LX in the books, the full 2026 NFL draft order has been set. Free agency is not far away, but attention will increasingly turn to April’s event as the offseason progresses.

The top of the first-round order is not subject to much in the way of speculation. The Raiders own the No. 1 selection and are widely seen as the landing spot for Fernando Mendoza, the lone quarterback regarded as a first-round lock at this point. How other QB-needy teams positioned throughout the order operate over the coming weeks – knowing there is a lack of high-end prospects this year – will make for an interesting storyline around the league.

This year’s NFL Combine will begin on February 23. Events such as the Senior Bowl have already taken place, leaving the Combine as the next major checkpoint in the evaluation of top prospects. Teams will begin arranging ‘Top 30’ visits with several players of interest relatively soon during the build-up to the draft. This year’s event will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.

Pending the inevitable trades which will shake up the order, here is a final look at how things stand leading up to Day 1:

  1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
  2. New York Jets (3-14)
  3. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
  5. New York Giants (4-13)
  6. Cleveland Browns (5-12)
  7. Washington Commanders (5-12)
  8. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
  9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
  11. Miami Dolphins (7-10)
  12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
  13. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
  14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
  15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
  16. New York Jets (via Colts)
  17. Detroit Lions (9-8)
  18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
  19. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
  20. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
  21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
  22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
  23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
  24. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
  25. Chicago Bears (11-6)
  26. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
  27. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
  28. Houston Texans (12-5)
  29. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
  30. Denver Broncos (14-3)
  31. New England Patriots (14-3)
  32. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
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HOF QB Sonny Jurgensen Passes Away

By | at February 6, 2026 11:58 am

Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen passed away Friday at the age of 91, his family announced.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our husband, father, and grandfather, Sonny Jurgensen,” Jurgensen’s family stated. “We are enormously proud of his amazing life and accomplishments on the field, marked not only by a golden arm, but also a fearless spirit and intellect that earned him a place among the greats in Canton.”

A former Duke Blue Devil whom the Eagles chose in the fourth round of the 1957 draft, Jurgensen evolved into one of the greatest signal-callers in the history of the sport. After serving as a backup over his first four seasons, including to fellow Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin during Philadelphia’s championship-winning campaign in 1960, Jurgensen became a full-time starter in 1961.

In his first year leading the Eagles’ offense, Jurgensen broke through with league highs in completions (235), yards (3,723) and touchdown passes (32). He earned his first of four All-Pro selections and his first of five Pro Bowl nods that season.

Jurgensen again led the league in passing in 1962, but the Eagles spiraled to a 3-10-1 record after going 10-4 the previous year. The team posted another dismal record of 2-10-2 in 1963, including a 1-6-1 mark in Jurgensen’s starts, and traded him to Washington for quarterback Norm Snead and defensive back Claude Crabb in the ensuing offseason.

The move to Washington rejuvenated Jurgensen, who played his last 11 seasons with the team formerly known as the Redskins. He spent his first seven seasons in Washington as a starter. Jurgensen went to four Pro Bowls and led the league in passing three times during that span. He wound down his career as Billy Kilmer‘s backup from 1971-74 before retiring at the age of 40.

Jurgensen, who became a member of Washington’s Ring of Fame, ranks second in franchise history to Joe Theismann in completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes. With 31 TD passes in 1961, he continues to hold the single-season franchise record 65 years later. The team retired his No. 9 in 2022.

“Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the defining legends of Washington football,” Commanders owner Josh Harris said. “He was a brilliant leader, Hall of Fame quarterback, and had one of the best arms the game has ever seen. … Our hearts and prayers are with Sonny’s family, friends, and everyone who loved him.”

Also a member of the Eagles’ Hall of Fame, Jurgensen sits fifth on their all-time TD passes list. Despite playing during the pre-1978 “Dead Ball” era, Jurgensen ranks 26th all-time in TD tosses (255) and 51st in yards (32,224). He led all “Dead Ball” era QBs in passer rating (82.62). Jurgensen is a member of the 1960s All-Decade Team who earned enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. He enjoyed a 38-year career as a broadcaster after he hung up his cleats.

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2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series

By | at February 6, 2026 11:00 am

Pro Football Rumors is breaking down how all 32 teams’ offseason blueprints are shaping up. Going forward, the Offseason Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.

This post will be updated as more Outlooks are published.

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks
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Commanders To Hire Eric Henderson As Defensive Run Game Coordinator/DL Coach

By | at February 5, 2026 12:28 am

The Commanders’ defensive staff under new coordinator Daronte Jones is continuing to take shape.

USC co-defensive coordinator Eric Henderson is set to join Washington as their defensive line coach/run game coordinator, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He also held those titles during his two years with the Trojans.

The 43-year-old started his NFL career as a Bengals defensive end, but only appeared in two games in 2008. After a few years in the now-defunct UFL, he retired from playing and began a coaching career at the college level. Henderson moved up to the NFL in 2017 as the Chargers’ assistant defensive line coach. After two years, he was hired by the Rams as their defensive line coach and had run game coordinator added to his title in 2023.

Headlined by Aaron Donald, the Rams’ defensive line was consistently excellent under Henderson, both in terms of stuffing the run and pressuring opposing quarterbacks. The unit played a major role in their 2018 and 2021 playoff runs, the latter of which featured a Super Bowl win for the franchise.

Henderson left Los Angeles in 2024 to get his first coordinator job, though he was not the Trojans’ defensive play-caller. Those duties fell to D’Anton Lynn, but after his departure for Penn State, Henderson called plays in the Alamo Bowl. USC’s defense ranked 57th and 51st in the FBS in points allowed in 2024 and 2025. Their run defense – Henderson’s focus – finished in a similar range. Those are uninspiring results, but his previous success in Los Angeles offers plenty of reason to believe that he can resurrect a Commanders run defense that ranked 30th in the league in 2025.

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