Commanders can help fill their biggest roster needs at the 2026 Senior Bowl by focusing on key positions

The Commanders have a lot of roster holes to fill this offseason, but they can upgrade a lot of areas at the 2026 Senior Bowl this year.

Josh Taylor — Washington Commanders News Writer
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The Washington Commanders have both of their coordinators after hiring Daronte Jones as the next defensive coordinator, and now they have to fill their biggest roster needs.

General manager Adam Peters needs to be aggressive this offseason, but you can only do so much in free agency. The Commanders have only six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, so they need to hit every single one.

The draft season starts at the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl, and they have plenty of prospects to focus on this week at their biggest position needs.

Positions the Commanders need to focus on at the Senior Bowl

EDGE

The Senior Bowl lost Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey, unfortunately, but there are still plenty of high-end options who can impress in the EDGE class. The Commanders need to finally address the EDGE position after ignoring it last offseason. They don’t have to address it in the first round if they decide to take someone like Caleb Downs with the No. 7 overall pick. Guys like Dani Dennis-Sutton and Derrick Moore could be third-round targets who could start right away, and they have a chance to make a lot of noise at the Senior Bowl as the new headliners of the class.

Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton (33) warms up before the game against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl.© Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Safety

The Commanders have one of the worst safety rooms in the NFL, and it’ll be a focal point for Jones’ defense. The passing defense will improve under Jones, but the talent has to be better. There are free agent targets to watch, but the safety draft class is loaded as well. Kamari Ramsey will likely go into the second round, but he’s my favorite safety at the Senior Bowl. Zakee Wheatley is a prospect to watch for the third round that would fit the Commanders perfectly. Jones also loves defenders who can align in multiple slots, and Jalon Kilgore from South Carolina will be a prospect that he would love.

Wide Reciever

Jayden Daniels needs more support outside of Terry McLaurin, and the Commanders honestly need another starting outside wide receiver and a slot wide receiver to fit David Blough’s offense. Kevin Coleman Jr. is an underrated slot WR prospect who fits the role needed in the offense, and he can create yards after the catch and stretch the field. If they want an outside WR, Ja’Kobi Lane is a big-body target with strong hands at 6-4, 196 pounds. He will have the chance to make highlight plays at the Senior Bowl this week and take advantage of a weaker WR class this year.

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane (8) breaks a tackle by Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Tae Johnson (9) during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. © Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Cornerback

The Commanders have a decision to make with Mike Sainristil playing on the inside or the outside, and they need to find another starter to fill in the hole remaining. Chandler Rivers is my favorite nickel corner at the Senior Bowl, who can play in multiple alignments under Jones, but also could be more of a Sainristil type at his 5-9, 185-pound frame. Davison Igbinosun is an outside corner who plays with great length and a 6-2, 192-pound frame, and he’s allowed Sainristil to go back in the slot. He’s projected to go in the early-third round, which would be an insane value pick for the Commanders.

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