It hasn’t been the start the Washington Commanders have hoped for, and now they have difficult decisions to make with the trade deadline approaching on Nov. 4.

The Commanders have a gauntlet of a schedule remaining, and they’ve seen their glaring weaknesses on the roster already. General manager Adam Peters has been aggressive since he first arrived, so maybe he’s willing to keep making big-splash moves to stay in contention.

The NFL is wide open this season, and there are three aggressive trades the Commanders can make to fix a roster hole and become serious contenders again. Going into the trade deadline, the Commanders have six picks for the 2026 NFL draft, with the possibility of another via a comp pick. If you’re trading a top pick, it better be for a major impact player, and maybe teams would take a 2027 pick as well.

Trade for Trey Hendrickson

I know this seems like an article idea from the offseason, but Trey Hendrickson is still available, and the Commanders need him now more than ever. The Cincinnati Bengals paid Hendrickson, but it was just for this season, and he still needs a new deal. It would be smart for the Bengals to trade Hendrickson before the deadline to get quality trade compensation before he leaves in the offseason. I don’t think winning keeps Hendrickson around, considering they just beat the Pittsburgh Steelers without him.

The Commanders lost Deatrich Wise for the season, and then lost Javontae Jean-Baptiste for a long time as well. Dorance Armstrong has been playing at a high level this season, and he needs a running mate on the other side. The defense is a liability, and the best way to fix it is by getting a game-changing pass rusher like Hendrickson.

The Commanders will have to get one in the offseason anyway, so maybe Hendrickson can be the answer with a trade before the deadline, and a new contract after the season. The Commanders could send offensive line help to the Bengals, who need it badly to protect their franchise quarterback, who is already severely injured.

Commanders receive: DE Trey Hendrickson
Bengals receive: 2026 3rd-round pick, 2027 6th-round pick, and OL Brandon Coleman

Trade for Jaylen Waddle

The Commanders’ offense was supposed to be explosive this season after trading for Deebo Samuel and paying Terry McLaurin his long-term extension, but it hasn’t gone that way at all, with McLaurin missing multiple games. The team has had to pivot with injuries, and they just recently signed Treylon Burks to help with Noah Brown going to the IR. Samuel has his own lingering injury as well, and the wide receiver room is in a rough spot. The Commanders need younger playmakers, and that’s what Jaylen Waddle is.

The Miami Dolphins are clear sellers at the deadline, and Waddle has been a name that teams are calling about. Their season is just about over, and they will undergo major overhauls when it ends, so they need draft capital. Waddle has a cap hit of under $5 million over the next two seasons, then it jumps to $27 million in 2027, the same year McLaurin’s contract has an out.

This is an easy decision in my opinion.

Commanders receive: WR Jaylen Waddle
Dolphins receive: 2026 3rd-round pick, 2027 3rd-round pick

Trade for Chris Olave

Peters can go back in time and fix the draft mistake of the previous regime, which declined to draft wide receiver Chris Olave, or he can just go trade for him now, with the New Orleans Saints taking calls on multiple players, including Olave. As I just mentioned, the wide receiver situation has been a complete failure, and the Commanders need to make a quality move to turn the season around.

Once again, don’t trade quality picks unless it’s for a young player who will be a long-term piece. Olave just turned 25 before the season, but he does have a history with concussions, so a trade does come with risk. Getting Olave would take a haul, just like Waddle would, but it’s absolutely worth it if you can fill one roster need before the offseason because there’s no guarantee a draft pick would hit.

Commanders receive: WR Chris Olave
Saints receive: 2026 3rd-round pick, 2027 4th-round pick, CB Noah Igbinoghene

Will the Commanders decide to buy, sell, or hold at the trade deadline after a rough start, and one of the hardest remaining schedules for the rest of the season? The fan base needs hope, and one of these trades would inject excitement and urgency into the season.