Commanders: Defensive Line Boost | NFL News
- The Washington commanders are prioritizing improvements to their run defense after a disappointing 2024 season.
- "We didn't play the run well enough,and I thought we would have," Whitt said,detailing adjustments to the defensive front.
- Washington's struggles against the run were highlighted in their matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, where Saquon Barkley ran for a combined 414 yards and seven touchdowns in three...
The Washington Commanders are aggressively overhauling their defensive line to solidify their run defense after a season of vulnerability. The team has made significant signings, including Javon Kinlaw and eddie Goldman, aiming to fortify the trenches with size and strength. Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. anticipates these key additions will bring a noticeable impact, particularly against bruising running backs like Saquon Barkley, who repeatedly gashed the Commanders last season. Further bolstering this effort, the Commanders are banking on Deatrich Wise Jr.’s abilities as an edge setter,and a fully healthy Jordan Magee at linebacker.News Directory 3 brings you all the latest NFL news and analysis.Discover what’s next for Washington’s defense and their quest for dominance.
Commanders Revamp D-Line to Bolster Run Defense
Updated June 16, 2025
The Washington commanders are prioritizing improvements to their run defense after a disappointing 2024 season. the team struggled to contain opposing rushing attacks, a deficiency they aim to correct through strategic acquisitions and scheme adjustments. A primary focus has been adding size and versatility to the defensive line.
Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. acknowledged the need for change. “We didn’t play the run well enough,and I thought we would have,” Whitt said,detailing adjustments to the defensive front. These tweaks are coupled wiht the addition of larger personnel.
Washington’s struggles against the run were highlighted in their matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, where Saquon Barkley ran for a combined 414 yards and seven touchdowns in three games. The Eagles consistently surpassed 200 rushing yards in each contest.
To address this, the Commanders signed defensive tackles Javon Kinlaw (6-foot-5, 319 pounds) and Eddie Goldman (6-3, 320 pounds), along with defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr.(6-5, 280 pounds). These additions complement existing players like Daron Payne,who weighs in at 320 pounds.
Payne expressed enthusiasm about the new additions: “Man, we got some big ol’ guys. They’re huge and strong and can get active. It’s going to be fun.”
The Commanders also hope to improve their depth and versatility, allowing them to deploy diffrent defensive packages based on the offensive formation. They plan to utilize Goldman as a nose tackle and Kinlaw at multiple positions, including defensive end in three-defensive tackle sets.
Coach Dan Quinn emphasized the importance of this versatility.”I love the versatility of the different guys and how we’re going to feature them this year in terms of sizes and strength and how we’ll use some of the big guys and how we’ll play them,” Quinn said.
wise is expected to be a strong edge setter, an area where the Commanders struggled last season. Quinn noted that too ofen, runs weren’t funneled back inside or forced wide enough.
Wise explained his approach: “I’m a very powerful, strong individual. What makes me a good edge setter is I’m able to use my hands,my strength,how long my arms are to keep guys off me…The best thing to do is push the ball carrier back to those guys, who are fast and physical and strong, we’ll have a lot of plays being stopped.”
The Commanders are also counting on the return of a healthy Jordan Magee at linebacker. injuries limited the fifth-round pick last season, but Whitt said the team plans to use Magee in three-linebacker packages against teams employing two- or three-tight-end sets.
Whitt added, “We can get a little bit bigger versus 12 [personnel] and not play as much nickel to shore up on some of the run.”
the Commanders are emphasizing improved dialogue and trust within the front seven. “I’m not going to say we didn’t trust each other [last year], but we’ve got a little more time to get on the same page than we did last year,” Armstrong said.