Three-time Pro Bowler is Commanders' last chance to fix big post draft problem but one major hurdle stands in the way
When it comes to the Washington Commanders' 2025 draft class, there's only one aspect to logically dislike and it's the fact Adam Peters and Co. didn't select a bonafide edge rusher with one of the first two selections.And it's more than just a traditional pass rusher. The Commanders need a player who can get after […]
When it comes to the Washington Commanders' 2025 draft class, there's only one aspect to logically dislike and it's the fact Adam Peters and Co. didn't select a bonafide edge rusher with one of the first two selections.
And it's more than just a traditional pass rusher. The Commanders need a player who can get after the quarterback while standing up or with his hand in the dirt. They also need a guy who can line up over guards and centers during obvious passing downs. It takes a versatile, athletic player to fill that role and not everyone can successfully do it.
That's why the Commanders are in a pickle right now. Especially when considering how vital this position is to Dan Quinn's pass rush strategy. Having a chess piece like this allows him to create mismatches along the front seven, which then opens up blitzing/pressure opportunities the offense doesn't expect or takes too long to diagnose.
And, really, there's only one effective option out there that can help the Commanders and that's three-time Pro Bowler Za'Darius Smith.
Smith still has the juice and versatility to help the Commanders in 2025 it's just all going to come down to money
Smith had a solid year in 2024, logging 9.0 sacks and 60 total quarterback pressures on 402 pass rush snaps, per Next Gen Stats. The sacks tied for 18th-most and the pressures were good for 14th among all defenders.
He played in two aggressive defenses, which allowed him to really get after opposing signal-callers, that philosophy would remain intact with the Commanders and that's the first stepping stone toward a good fit. The second is what was discussed earlier: Smith's ability to rush from a two-, three-, or four-point stance, along with the ability to move around the defensive front make him an ideal candidate.
And lastly, there's just how much he has left in the tank, which is enough. Next Gen Stats has Smith with 16 total quick pressures (pressures under 2.5 seconds) in 2024, which is good for a 4.0% rate. Then, he averaged a 0.89-second get-off for the year. Both of those numbers are right around the league average of 4.2% and 0.88 seconds, which shows Smith still has the juice to get the job done.
When going back and watching the tape from eight of his 9.0 sacks they all came from the following alignments/situations:
- Wide-9 alignment from a four-point stance (both hands in the dirt for a power rush)
- Wide-9 alignment but from a two-point stance (standing up for and edge rush)
- Two-point stance aligned at 4T (four-tech, or directly over the tackle)
- Three-point stance (one hand in the dirt) aligned at 4i (the tackle's inside shoulder)
- Wide-9 alignment from a two-point stance
- Two-point stance aligned at 7T (tight end's outside shoulder) after sliding in from a Wide-9
- Wide-9 alignment from a two-point stance
Smith racked up pressures from the 3-tech position, as well, demonstrating he still has all the tools and ability that's helped him rack up 69.0 sacks over the course of his NFL career.
The only thing stopping the Commanders and Smith from joining forces is money. For whatever reason, Washington has been a bit skimpy when it comes to investing valuable resources in this position. It paid Dante Fowler Jr. just $3.25 million last year to get the job done and wouldn't match the $6 million the Dallas Cowboys gave him. Even if he's not a full-time pass rusher/defensive player and his share of inconsistencies last year – that's a good price for a guy who racked up 10.5 sacks.
The Lions moved on Smith strictly for monetary reasons and he's always been a guy looking to secure the bag before anything else. That's evidenced by the time in free agency when he had a deal in place with the Ravens, only to back out after Von Miller and Chandler Jones received deals that were exponentially greater than his. The two sides couldn't reach an agreement on a new deal, so Smith withdrew his services and landed with the Vikings, instead.
If the Commanders can't land Smith, then there really isn't another option out there that can provide consistent, effective snaps. He's easily their last shot at locking down this position before minicamps and whatnot begin and if he doesn't join the team then this will easily be the biggest roster hole once things do get rolling.
