Commanders’ free agency moves raises more questions on defensive line

What did the signing of defensive tackle Tim Settle reveal about the Washington Commanders defensive line?

Well, the first thing that is clear is that we don’t know the plan that the Commanders will use next season. They not only hired a new defensive coordinator (Daronte Jones), but could also change their overall plan. One difficulty with such a decision is the magnitude of changes a general manager can make to the roster in a single offseason.

Advertisement

It’s not easy, but general manager Adam Peters has moved forward, working hard to make several personnel changes as quickly as possible. For example, the signing of defensive tackle Tim Settle. What does this mean for defensive tackles like Daron Payne and Johnny Newton? When Settle was asked what had been communicated about this role for 2026, he mentioned that he was there to cause chaos “in the middle.” Did Settle let the cat out of the bag? Is Settle now a 3-4 nose tackle for Commanders? Or was he just referring to the fact that he played a 4-3 DT?

What does this mean for Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne? Are they now finished 3-4? The 3-4 ends are taller, heavier, played one-on-one on an offensive tackle. In a 4-3 end, play on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle and are quicker and lighter.

But immediately my mind then wondered, “What about 2024 second-round pick Johnny Newton?” Will Newton support Kinlaw and Payne as DE 3-4?

Newton (295) was pushed around while playing inside in a 4-3. There’s no doubt that Peters and head coach Dan Quinn are disappointed with Newton’s run defense. So the 3-4 would cause Newton to move further away from the ball, playing offensive tackle. With Daron Payne’s contract ending after 2026, perhaps Peters’ plan is for Newton to simply replace Payne in 2027?

Advertisement

Commanders can’t just count on Settle to play nose in 2026; they’ll need to find someone bigger to add to the rotation. But for now, maybe Settle’s signing means he actually plays more than Newton in 2026? Certainly not what Peters envisioned when he saw Newton at No. 36 in the 2024 draft when he selected him.

Examining the list actually produces more questions than answers. This is because the personnel listed are not clearly for a 3-4 or a 4-3. It’s quite mixed. Here’s a quick look at who the Commanders are currently listing as their defensive tackles and defensive ends as of March 15, 2026. But keep in mind that this is all in flux.

Commander Defensive Tackles

Defensive/EDGE Commanders

• Dorance Armstrong: 6-4, 255

• K’Lavon Chaisson: 6-3, 254

• Javontaé Jean-Baptiste: 6-4, 260

• TJ Maguranyanga: 6-4, 222

• Charles Omenihu: 6-5, 280

• Deatrich Wise Jr: 6-5, 280

Advertisement

So as you can see, there are more questions than answers at this point regarding the style of defense and even more so, which guys will actually make the roster to play that style.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Free agency moves raise questions