The Commanders sign intriguing young free agent who will help fill a desperate need on the roster
Help is on the way for the Commanders.
The Washington Commanders are trying to recover from a “Monday Night Football” loss to the Chicago Bears, but they received some positive news on Tuesday morning to help.
The Commanders need better players, and they need help anywhere they can get it. General manager Adam Peters made many moves this offseason, but you can only do so much without putting yourself in a tough spot roster-wise and financially.
Sometimes you have to get lucky and land a player during the season that can provide low-risk, high-reward, and that’s what the Commanders are getting with defensive end Drake Jackson.
Commanders sign Drake Jackson
You have to move on after a tough loss, and getting a young player like Jackson, who is coming back from an injury, can be a boost this team needs. The Commanders were among many teams that hosted visits with the former San Francisco 49ers second-round pick, and Jackson chose Washington.
After missing out on wide receiver Kendrick Bourne earlier in the season, this win feels good for the Commanders.
NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, were another team that held a visit with Jackson, and they needed him desperately after Za’Darius Smith retired this past week. The Commanders’ defense has been bad, but Dorance Armstrong has been a bright spot all season in rushing the quarterback and stopping the run as well. Armstrong got his sixth sack of the season, and he’s top five in the league in sacks and pressure rate through the first six games.
We saw what happened when Armstrong had to come out of the game a couple of times against the Bears. The Commanders already lost Deatrich Wise for the season and Javontae Jean-Baptiste for a long time. The Commanders signed Preston Smith a few weeks ago, and he’s finally starting to play, but the Commanders needed youth on the roster.
The Commanders need youth and speed on defense
We aren’t sure what Jackson will look like after a patellar tendon tear in his knee in 2023, but he’s been cleared and is only 24 years old. He’s reuniting with Peters, who was with the 49ers when they drafted him in 2022, and he showed many flashes in his early career.
Jackson is a big 6-4, 273-pound defender who can line up anywhere on the line and fits this defense. He will likely line up opposite Armstrong when he gets going, but they can also move him inside on some obvious passing situations where Von Miller comes in.
The Commanders only had five draft picks in the last draft and have six for the 2026 NFL draft, so hitting on a young player like Jackson can essentially be a free draft pick for this roster.
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