The Washington Commanders have started the season on a roller coaster of emotions, with a 3-3 record to show for it despite poor performances and injuries.

The league is wide open this season, and anyone can win the NFC East as well. It hasn’t been the best start for the Commanders, and the loss to the Chicago Bears put a damper on the mood of the season, but all of the team’s goals are still in front of them.

Teams around the league will be making phone calls with the trade deadline coming up on Nov. 4, and the Commanders will have to decide whether to buy, sell, or hold.

The Commanders should buy

Like I said, the league is wide open this year, and anyone can win the Super Bowl. We’ve seen good teams suffer ugly losses, and injuries around the league have derailed other teams’ chances. Even at 3-3, the Commanders are still in the driver’s seat of their own season, but there are some obvious weaknesses. The Commanders have six draft picks for 2026, which include a first, a third, a fifth, two sixths, and a seventh-rounder, so they could trade one if the right player becomes available.

I’ll get into more depth in the next article about who the Commanders could pursue, but trading for a player doesn’t mean it has to be a first or third-round big swing for a player because they definitely need to draft talent. It’s about value, though.

If they can trade a fifth or sixth for a quality player like they did for Deebo Samuel, then it’s worth it. They should at least check the value of New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave.

Yes, there’s no guarantee the player will be a hit, but it would have a higher success rate than drafting someone in the fifth or sixth round who might not be ready for a few years. The Commanders need an edge rusher to complement Dorance Armstrong, another wide receiver, and a safety.

The Commanders should sell

Now, of course, to sell, you have to have assets worth trading to another team, and the Commanders don’t have a ton, but there’s one obvious answer. I know it’s just his second season, but Brandon Coleman has been inactive for the last four games, and he could be traded away in a player swap or for a fifth-round pick, in my opinion.

We’ve already seen Adam Peters trade away players and even cut Dom Hampton before his second season could start, so don’t count anything out. The Commanders desperately need draft capital, so getting a fifth-round pick is worth it if Coleman is going to be inactive. Sam Cosmi is coming back as well, so they have plenty of depth across the whole offensive line now.

The Commanders should hold

It’s a long season, and you have no idea how things can turn out, just like last season. The Commanders could just take this season for what it is, no matter how many wins or losses they have by the deadline. Six draft picks, with the possibility of adding another by way of a comp pick, are enough for Peters to put together a solid draft class after the season.

Making drastic financial and draft capital decisions can lead to bad decisions that impact the future of the roster, and Peters has already made a ton of moves, like trading for Marshon Lattimore, Laremy Tunsil, and Samuel, since he took over.

Washington Commanders News

The Commanders are hoping to land more help for Jayden Daniels with former first-round pick visiting on Wednesday

The Commanders could get a big win if this player reaches his potential.

Josh Taylor