The Washington Commanders recently appointed David Blough as offensive coordinator and Daronte Jones as defensive coordinator, both of whom are in their first coordinator positions. General Manager Adam Peters shared that each coach effectively conveyed their strategic plans and how their systems will shape the team’s play moving forward. Peters emphasized the importance of versatility on defense, highlighting Jones’s focus on a flexible defensive front that values players able to perform multiple roles.
“David went first and talked about offense, our vision, our scheme, and then got into the particular players and what we’re looking for in those particular players,”
Peters said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
“Daronte did a great job of painting the picture of what we’re looking at and how the (defensive) front is multiple, so … if a guy can do multiple things, then the versatility is probably more of a premium now.”
Focus on Edge Rushers and Defensive Traits for Upcoming Draft
Looking ahead to the NFL Draft in 2026, Peters expressed interest in acquiring edge rushers who demonstrate key physical traits. He identified several characteristics he values in pass rushers, especially arm length, which he described as a critical factor in evaluating potential talent. Peters acknowledged the challenge of finding elite players in this position but remains optimistic about prospects in the draft.
“Ideally, you want Myles Garrett,” Peters stated.
“That’s who you want, but there’s only one of those guys walking on the face of the earth. But a lot of those same traits — long, fast, explosive, can turn the corner, can finish, all those things. In terms of guys with shorter arms … there are a few in this draft who are really, really good players.”
He further elaborated on the significance of arm length, noting how measuring can vary but stressing that effective use of arm length is what truly defines a player’s success on the field. Peters noted that while some players with shorter arms excel by maximizing their reach, longer arms generally provide an advantage.
“Arm length — I could go days on this arm length thing, because every time you measure somebody’s arm, it could be 30, 31, 32, 33 (inches), just depending on who measures it,”
he said.
“So, you get a pretty good idea of how long their arms are with that, but it’s really how well they play with whatever length they have. Some guys have short arms and they play with great length and extension all the time. Some guys have really long arms (but) don’t use their length as well. It’s great to have that length, but it’s also how they use it and how it comes out on the tape. So, some guys can excel with shorter arms by doing things differently, but ideally you always want to err on the side of longer arms.”
Daron Payne’s Contract Situation Gains Attention
Defensive tackle Daron Payne is entering the final year of his current contract with the Commanders. Peters expressed enthusiasm about Payne’s role within Jones’s defense and indicated an intention to retain the lineman moving forward. Although contract negotiations have not yet formally begun, there is strong interest in offering Payne an extension to keep him with the team.
- Commanders DT Daron Payne is entering his final contract year, with plans to keep him involved in the defensive scheme under Daronte Jones.
- According to Nicki Jhabvala, official contract talks with Payne have not started yet.
Updates on Offensive Line Players and Development
Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams shared insights on offensive lineman Tyler Guyton, who has struggled with availability due to injuries but is expected to improve with continued playing time. Guyton has participated in 25 of 34 games across two seasons and Adams anticipates further growth as Guyton gains more experience in professional starts.
The most important thing for a young player, specifically talking about Tyler Guyton, is you’ve got to get out there and you’ve got to play,
Adams said, via Tommy Yarrish.
That’s the part I know that he’s been the most frustrated with, is he plays really well in training camp, and then he got dinged up, and then he starts coming back really without having much of a training camp, and then gets dinged again. So he’s just been a little bit unlucky in that way.
Once you can get a guy through that first 20 to 25 starts, you can really start seeing those guys kind of self-reflecting and kind of modernizing their game on their own a little bit, which is always fun to see.
Regarding right tackle Terence Steele, Adams praised him as a consummate professional and outlined plans for offseason development targeting multiple areas for improvement, despite Steele nearing the later stages of his career.
I just think that there’s a ton of good things that he’s doing,
Adams said.
The margins are smaller as you get later in your career for the type of improvement that you specifically want to be able to make, but we’ve got an improvement plan ready for him for probably seven or eight different things that maybe he hasn’t worked on in his career. And so I can certainly see some of the benefits of the way that the guy works. He’s an absolute pro, and we’re gonna continue to find ways to help him get better.
Injury Updates and Recovery Timelines
Linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku is recovering from hip surgery and is expected to miss the offseason program. However, reports suggest Ezeiruaku should be ready to return in time for training camp, allowing the team to anticipate his contributions later in the preseason.
- Donovan Ezeiruaku is about five weeks into recovery following hip surgery and is projected to rejoin preparations by training camp.
Eagles Focus on Retaining Impact Players Amid Free Agency
Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips of the Philadelphia Eagles is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman expressed the team’s goal of both acquiring and holding onto difference-making talent as they prepare for the upcoming season. Roseman emphasized the difficulty in locating such players through the draft and reiterated the value of keeping key contributors on the roster.
“I think it starts with difference-making players,”
Roseman said, via Zach Berman of The Athletic.
“And when you have an opportunity to keep difference-making players, you don’t want to let those guys leave. So that’s when we talk about when we’re going to retain those guys: you can’t find those guys. It’s hard to find those guys in the draft, hopefully, where we’re picking. And so those are the guys that we made a concerted effort to keep. And when you do that, and you pay those guys, then you have to make sacrifices somewhere else.”
Roseman also commented on the positive effect Phillips has had since joining the Eagles, noting how Phillips’s presence has energized their defense throughout the season and added a new level of competitiveness.
“We knew what kind of person Jaelan Phillips was from the time we spent with him in the pre-draft process, and it was confirmed throughout our time with him in Philadelphia,”
Roseman explained.
“From my perspective, that (trade) gave us a shot in the arm. The defense obviously played really well throughout the course of the season, and took another step when he was here. We understood, also, here’s the worst-case situation, which is he’s going to be a free agent. If he leaves a free agent, you have to not sign somebody to get the (compensatory) pick for next year. Understanding that. And also, the hardest part about free agency is understanding who the player is, because you don’t live with that person, and getting the chance to be with him and see who he was, obviously, to us, is even more addictive.”
Klayton Adams on #Cowboys LT Tyler Guyton:
"The most important thing for a young player, specifically talking about Tyler Guyton, is you've got to get out there and you've got to play. That's the part I know that he's been the most frustrated with, is he plays really well in… https://t.co/HHNMvYHihB
— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) February 25, 2026
Klayton Adams on #Cowboys RT Terence Steele:
"I just think that there's a ton of good things that he's doing. The margins are smaller as you get later in your career for the type of improvement that you specifically want to be able to make, but we've got an improvement plan… https://t.co/HHNMvYHQ79
— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) February 25, 2026
Donovan Ezeiruaku is five weeks removed from hip surgery that will prevent him from being a full participant in the offseason program, per source. The expectation is he will be ready for training camp.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 2, 2026
