The Commanders will finally get one major roster question answered with much anticipated debut of intriguing young free agent
The Commanders get to see what the future of the roster could look like with EDGE rusher Drake Jackson making his debut in Washington.
The Washington Commanders still have three games left, and there are plenty of things they need to see, despite their 4-10 record on the season.
The first test is against the Philadelphia Eagles at home, and they need to see the team show up after an ugly win last week against the New York Giants. The Commanders need to see the youth of the roster play well, and head coach Dan Quinn needs to actually play them as well.
Quinn announced on Thursday that one in-season free agent signing will finally be making his debut, which can turn into a real roster win if he plays well and stays healthy.
EDGE Drake Jackson will make his Commanders debut on Saturday
The Commanders have been waiting for Drake Jackson to get healthy so he can show what his potential on the roster could look like. After two long months, he will finally be making his debut in Washington.
“Yes. Drake [Jackson] had a good week,” Quinn said. “Kind of started last week, the individual piece we were ramping up to hopefully look at this game as one for him to go, and yeah, he’ll be able to play.”
Drake Jackson is an intriguing player to watch
Jackson decided to sign with the Commanders back in mid-October, with offers from many other teams, and now the Commanders get to see if he can be a piece of the defense moving forward. The Commanders also need a youth movement on the team, and Jackson could help with that at just 24 years old. Jackson was a second-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2022 NFL Draft and has the potential to be a great player if he can stay healthy.
He has six career sacks in the 23 games he’s played in, but he’s been out since late 2023 with his knee injury. The 49ers decided to move on, and now the Commanders are hoping for a roster win with Jackson.
The Commanders’ defense will need a lot of work this offseason
It’s no secret that the Commanders’ defense needs a lot of help, and it’ll start by finding a new defensive coordinator. Then, general manager Adam Peters needs to sit down with whoever they hire and rework the roster with players who can thrive in the defense. Defensive end is the biggest need on defense right now, especially after Deatrich Wise and Dorance Armstrong both suffered season-ending injuries, and could miss substantial time to start the 2026 season.
Whether it’s in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft, Peters has to actually address the position this offseason and get a difference maker. At 6-4, 273 pounds, Jackson would be an every-down player while Jacob Martin and Von Miller could rotate in if they return. This shouldn’t stop them from swinging big this offseason and being aggressive.