The Washington Commanders are playing the long game with a new signing expected to solve a few problems at a position already decimated by injuries. Unfortunately, Drake Jackson will have to wait for his chance to make a difference, after the Commanders sent the former second-round NFL draft pick to injured reserve.
Former San Francisco 49ers defensive end Jackson was snapped up on Tuesday, October 14, but the plan was always for him to land on IR, “as he works his way back from a knee injury,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The latter pointed out “the hope is Jackson is back later in the season. Essentially, signing and stashing.”
The hope is Jackson is back later in the season. Essentially, signing and stashing.
This may seem like a strange policy to take at a position of obvious need. Especially when the Commanders have already lost two defensive ends to season-ending injuries.
A struggling defense needs edge-setters against the run and some more oomph in the pass rush. Jackson has the upside to provide both, but the Commanders are hoping they’ll still be relevant in the playoff picture when the 24-year-old who hasn’t played since 2023 eventually sees the field again.
Commanders Playing Dangerous Waiting Game
The Commanders are playing a dangerous waiting game with Jackson. Dangerous because the current D-end rotation lacks elite qualities.
It also lacks able bodies because versatile veteran Deatrich Wise Jr. was lost for the season after he suffered a quad injury. The loss of Wise, who could play end or tackle, was compounded by 2024 NFL draft seventh-round pick Javontae Jean-Baptiste tore his pectoral muscle against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4.
Both Wise and Jean-Baptiste fit the profile as flexible linemen with the height and frame to stand up against the run and push the pocket. The Commanders lack credible alternatives, with Von Miller and Jacob Martin more hybrid, outside linebacker types.
To make matters worse, Dorance Armstrong Jr., who leads the team in sacks, left the field twice during Week 6’s 25-24 defeat to the Chicago Bears. He’s dealing with an ongoing hamstring problem, per The Team 980’s Ben Standig, and Armstrong did not practice on Wednesday ahead of Week 7’s game with the Dallas Cowboys because of the same ailment, according to ESPN’s John Keim.
These are pressing issues the Commanders should address now, but general manager Adam Peters appears content to wait for reinforcements.
Drake Jackson Primed to Provide Late-Season Boost
Peters’ time with the 49ers included the NFC West outfit using a top-100 pick on then-USC standout Jackson. That knowledge is obviously enough to believe Jackson is a player worth waiting on to provide a late-season boost.
The Commanders did their due diligence when Jackson met with the team earlier in October. That visit ought to have furnished Peters and Co. with enough intel about the state of Jackson’s knee and what the timeframe for his full recovery will look like.
In the meantime, the risk the Commanders are taking is standing pat at a position threatening to undermine their entire front seven. A lack of bluechip talent was already a problem, but losing versatile pieces like Wise and Jean-Baptiste has turned defensive end into a fatal flaw a 3-3 team can’t risk waiting to fix.
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