As you may have heard by now, Washington Commander needs a rusher. You can say the same thing in 2024 and 2025. The need has been there since the hiring of general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn in 2024. However, that need became even more apparent due to injuries during last year’s 5-12 season.
Dorance Armstrong was Washington’s top rusher last season, but he tore his ACL in a Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Prior to the injury, Armstrong was having his best season in the NFL, recording 5.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss in a loss to Washington. When Armstrong goes down, it becomes even more difficult for the pass rushers to initiate.
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Armstrong’s contract runs through 2026. Von Miller, a future Hall of Famer signed just before training camp last July, had nine sacks as a Commander. Miller is a free agent and turns 37 in March.
Washington has a new defensive coordinator in Daronte Jones. There is some mystery surrounding what kind of defensive line Jones will run. Whether it’s a base 3-4 or a 4-3, the generals need pass rushers. With more than $80 million in salary cap space, Washington is expected to be active when free agency opens this week.
Here are seven potential edge rushers the Commanders could target in free agency.
Jaylan Phillips, Eagles Edge
Phillips may be Washington’s top target. Phillips is young (26), has good size (6-foot-5, 270) and has been successful since entering the NFL in 2021. However, there are some concerns. Phillips played in every game in three of his five seasons in the NFL. However, in the other two seasons, he missed a total of 22 games. He has also never had more than 8.5 sacks in a season (2021). Will this affect his market? When Phillips was traded to the Eagles in November, his impact was huge. Philadelphia wants to keep him. While Phillips didn’t post massive sack numbers, he was a disruptor. Washington needs some disruptors.
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Charger EDGE Odafi Ove
Considering the Chargers have plenty of cap space, it’s a bit surprising that they didn’t lock up Ovie before free agency. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Oweh is the Ravens’ 2021 first-round pick. After an up-and-down career in Baltimore, he was traded to Los Angeles in October. Ove’s career took off with the Chargers, playing in 12 games and recording 28 tackles, including 8 sacks, 7.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits. That’s not to say he wasn’t productive with the Ravens, as he had a career-high 10 sacks in 2024. He had 13 sacks in his first three seasons, playing a situational role. Ovie’s arrow points upward, and the past two seasons have been encouraging.
Mafe has missed just three games in four seasons. He has 20 career sacks, including a career-high nine in 2023. While he only had 2 sacks in 2025, he did have 33 quarterback pressures. The Seahawks also rotate defensive linemen frequently. Mephee’s pass-rush metrics paint a positive picture for his impact. He has good size (6-foot-4, 261 inches) and is versatile. Mafe is another young pass rusher with untapped potential. The Commanders now have one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL (Eric Henderson).
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Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson
The most famous names and the most successful records. Hendrickson’s 35 sacks in 2023 and 2024 are more than anyone in the NFL, including Myles Garrett. Last offseason, Hendrickson was looking to be traded away from Cincinnati after the Bengals declined to take Hendrickson, one of the highest-paid pass rushers in the NFL. Washington showed interest in Hendrickson last offseason. How many? No one knows. The problem for Hendrickson is that he will be 32 in December. In addition, he missed 10 games last season due to a core muscle injury. Any time a player is over 30, it’s always a problem. Hendrickson is the right move for a team that is just one step away from contention. That’s not the commanders.
Falcons EDGE Arnold Ebichetti
Ebiketie is a name to watch. A 2022 second-round pick, Ebiketi has missed just one game in four seasons. In his part-time role with the Falcons, he had 17 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks, but had 89 quarterback pressures. In 2023 and 2024, he has 6 sacks each season. He’s a perfect fit as an outside rusher in a 3-4 base. Ebiketi would be a great addition, but Washington would need to add another pass rusher if it signed him.
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Patriots EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson
Chaisson was a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was a bust for the Jacksonville Jaguars, recording just five sacks in 57 games over four seasons with the Jaguars. In 2024, Chaisson signed with the Raiders and began to turn his career around. In 15 games, 4 of which were starts, he finished with 32 tackles, 5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. His pressure rate was encouraging enough that New England signed him to a one-year, $5 million contract. He had a breakout year on the Patriots defense, finishing with 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. He added three more sacks in the postseason. Chaisson earned a long-term contract, and he’s still only 26 years old. He’s another excellent candidate if Washington plans to play 3-4 base.
Colts EDGE Quitty Pate
Paye is another former first-round pick who has started for the Colts the past five seasons. He has 30.5 career sacks, 37 tackles for loss and 50 quarterback hits. Paye has racked up 84 quarterback pressures over the past two seasons and is known to excel against the run. A solid player, but he’s not the answer to Washington’s pass rush woes. He can be part of the answer. If the Commanders sign Payet, that’s a good start, but they need more.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders 2026 free agency: 7 top rushing targets
