Bucky Brooks Sees Commanders Leaping Into NFC Elite: Tunsil & Deebo Add Spark to Jayden Daniels’ Rise

The Washington Commanders converted plenty of doubters into believers last year and are looking to turn any stragglers in 2025.

While the Commanders don't necessarily find their confidence in the opinions of outsiders, it is nice to have the general public behind them.

The more educated the opinion, the better it is to have them going your way, and in the case of NFL.com's Bucky Brooks, his belief in Washington has only grown this offseason as he identified the team as one that owns the 2025 offseason.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

"It’s hard to improve from good to great in the NFL, but the Commanders might join the league’s elites with an improved roster that features more blue-chip players around 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels," Brooks said in his column. "The trades for Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel place a pair of Pro Bowl-caliber players in marquee positions (left tackle and WR2) that should help the offense unlock another gear in 2025. If the team can resolve Terry McLaurin’s contract situation, the Commanders will have a chance to open the season with an electric offense that will put plenty of stress on defensive coordinators crafting plans to stop the juggernaut."

The McLaurin contract is expected to be resolved ahead of training camp, giving Daniels and the Commanders' offense all of its available weapons, pending the results of receiver Noah Brown's MRI following an injury suffered during mandatory minicamp.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Brooks is pointing to the addition of two champions as reason to believe that unit might be able to carry more of their own weight this season.

"Defensively, the additions of Deatrich Wise and Jonathan Jones fortify a unit that is coming into its own under the direction of head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. If the Commanders continue to receive key contributions from their young defensive backs (Mike Sainristil, Quan Martin and Trey Amos), the reigning NFC runner-up could take the next step in 2025," Brooks says.

Ultimately, Brooks expects Washington to be a team built to "run through the NFC" and says that if the team can secure the No. 1 seed in the conference then a championship is not unreasonable.