The Washington Commanders have perhaps been the most active team in free agency this cycle. While the majority of their moves across the first few days focused on the defensive side of the ball, the front office has now transitioned to adding more offensive playmakers. After announcing on March 11th that the team signed athletic tight end Chig Okonkwo, they have announced today that they are bringing in another multitalented offensive talent.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that the Commanders are signing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White to a one-year contract. White is a versatile player who can be effective in both the run and pass games. Across his four-year career, he has accumulated 2,656 rushing yards along with 1,450 receiving yards. White has also recorded 25 total touchdowns across 67 games played.
The former Arizona State University running back will be teaming up with his college quarterback, Jayden Daniels. The duo played together across the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
GettyRachaad White rushed for 1,426 yards, caught 51 passes for 275 yards, and scored 42 total touchdowns across his two seasons with Arizona State University.
White now becomes the complement to Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the duo expects to revitalize a Commanders rushing attack that ranked 20th last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Rachaad White Is The Perfect Complement to Jacory Croskey-Merritt
White began his NFL career as a complement option to running back Leonard Fournette during the Tom Brady era in Tampa Bay. Following his rookie season in 2022, he then became the featured back in 2023. In that season, while White crossed 1,500 total yards gained and scored nine touchdowns, but he averaged only 3.6 yards per carry. The Buccaneers then drafted Bucky Irving the following season and began to use White as a complement once again. And White proved to be more efficient as a dynamic pairing rather than a primary solo option. Over the past two seasons, his yards per carry have improved to 4.3, and he has recorded over 500 rushing yards and over 200 receiving yards in each year.
GettyRunning back Rachaad White rushed for 572 yards and recorded 218 receiving yards and 4 total touchdowns in 2025 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, White will find himself once again as part of a one-two punch at the running back position, this time with Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Merritt rushed for 805 yards and eight touchdowns in his rookie season while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Where Merritt really lacked was in the pass game, where he only caught nine balls for 68 yards.
This is where White fills in perfectly as he’s tallied at least 40 catches in each of his four seasons while notching an 89% catch rate.
White adds value as not only an experienced runner but also as another reliable option for Daniels to target.
Commanders’ Offense Expected to Evolve in 2026
The Commanders shocked many after they decided to move on from former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to start the offseason. This move was made due to ideological differences between Kingsbury and head coach Dan Quinn, and general manager Adam Peters. They disagreed about how to develop Jayden Daniels. The team then promoted former assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough into the role.
Blough has expressed interest in expanding the offense into more of a pro-style. Kingsbury was known for primarily running the offense out of a shotgun formation and relying on the run-pass-option. This style resembles more of a college approach. While these will certainly still be elements of the Commanders’ offense, Blough intends to put Daniels under center more and help him evolve his defensive recognition.
All this being said, an emphasis on the run game is still important to the success of the team. The goal is to be able to hit deep play-action shots from under center. The Commanders are attempting to bounce back from 2025 with a refreshed roster and approach next year.
Commanders Reunite Jayden Daniels with 25-TD Versatile Offensive Weapon