The Washington Commanders landed at an offseason average ranking of 22.625 in a national power-poll roundup, a number that reflects how the team was viewed after a wave of offseason rankings began circulating again. Sports Illustrated compiled the poll set during a stretch when NFL power lists were reappearing in response to the Myles Garrett trade the previous week.

That matters now because the Commanders are being judged before the season even starts, and the ranking gave a quick read on where outside observers see the roster. Yahoo Sports placed Washington 24th, Analytics had it 21st, The Ringer ranked it 24th and Sharp Football put it 22nd, leaving the team in the middle of a skeptical national conversation rather than near the league’s top tier.

The deeper read came from Diante Lee, who said his confidence in Washington’s infrastructure and coaching staff had changed significantly over the past year. Even so, he said the team made only six draft picks and that the only rookie he expected to matter in the rotation was linebacker Sonny Styles, a first-rounder. He also argued that the Commanders’ 2026 draft class lacked the kind of high-impact players that could lift a roster that already did not have much depth or top-end talent.

Lee’s view was that Washington’s problems had been covered up, not solved, by expensive but flawed veterans added in free agency. He went further, saying the Commanders would not be in playoff contention unless quarterback Daniels dragged them there, and added that Daniels could not be asked to carry that kind of burden physically the way he did last year. That is the friction inside the ranking: faith in the staff is rising, but the roster still has to prove it can support the quarterback instead of leaning on him.

Raymond Summerlin offered a more optimistic note on one piece of the class, calling Sonny Styles a great get for Washington even if the team might have preferred Mansoor Delane. He also said he liked Antonio Williams as both a player and as a complement to Terry McLaurin, a reminder that the offseason was being assessed through draft capital, free-agent additions and belief in Daniels more than through any single headline number. For now, the 22.625 average is less a verdict than a baseline, and the next poll will matter most if Washington can turn those guarded evaluations into something sturdier on the field.