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This season the Commanders will be switching to a new defensive scheme under Daronte Jones, who previously worked as the passing game coordinator under Brian Flores with the Vikings. The details of the new defense have not been announced yet. And it’s hard to guess how much Washington’s new defensive coordinator will put his own stamp on the scheme. But, since the Commanders first interviewed Flores for their vacant DC position, and then hired Jones, who had become his right hand man, it’s a fair bet that it will have some similarity to the scheme that Jones worked with in Minnesota.
To get an idea of what type of Edge Defenders (ED) Adam Peters might look for in free agency to man the new-look defense, I’ll take a look at the players Flores used in Minnesota. Then we’ll have a look at the EDs the Commanders have under contract. And that should give us an idea of the gaps that Peters needs to fill. But before that, I’ll need to explain the performance metrics I’ll be using.
Edge Defender Performance Metrics
Throughout this article, I used two primary metrics to rank players against the rest of the league.
I used Pressure Rate to rank ED pass rush performance. It is simply the percentage of pass rush attempts on which the rusher generated pressure. I used pressures instead of sacks for two reasons. First, sacks are rare events, which leads to reliability issues associated with small sample sizes. Second, measuring pressures accounts for all of the ways that the pass rush can influence a play. For both reasons, pressures are a more robust performance metric than sacks.
Adjusting for numbers of pass rush attempts makes different players’ numbers comparable despite differences in playing time. Data were sourced from PFF. Unfortunately, PFF and PFR count pressures differently, so it was not possible to cross-validate data from the two sources, like I did in my CB roundups.
Edge Defenders were ranked and placed into percentiles in a sample of 120 EDs who played as much or more than Washington’s Dorance Armstrong in 2025. The following table illustrates the range of Pressure Rate Values:
Run Stop Rate was used to rank performance in run defense. It is the percentage of run defense snaps on which a defender recorded a Stop. A Stop is a tackle which causes the offensive play to fail. It is defined as a failure to gain at least 45% of the yards to gain on first down, 60% on second down, or failure to convert on third or fourth down.
Run Stop Rate is a measure of how frequently a defender made big plays against the run. It provides an incomplete measure of edge setting performance, because it doesn’t capture plays on which an ED contains the outside lane without getting in on the tackle. But it still does a good job of identifying the best run defenders as ranked by other metrics. The range of values in the sample of 120 EDs is illustrated by the following table:
Vikings’ Edge Defenders
Brian Flores’s defense is built around a 3-4 base, but uses multiple fronts and a heavy dose of zone blitzing to keep opposing QBs under constant pressure. The pass rush relies heavily on blitzing linebackers to generate pressure, in addition to the edge rush. A key element of the scheme is disguising pressure to keep the offense guessing.
The Vikings’ EDs are 3-4 outside linebackers, which we generally think of as being lighter and more athletic than the 4-3 DEs that Washington has used as its primary starting EDs under Dan Quinn. The Vikings’ OLBs lined up on the defensive line on 92% or more of snaps. They lined up outside of the offensive tackles on 96 to 100% of defensive snaps. There was little to no utilization over the tackles or in the box as off-ball LBs, and no movement to the interior.
One way that Flores disguises pressure is to drop his EDs into coverage, while linebackers rush the passer. As a result, the Vikings EDs play in coverage more than any other team, which dictates the kind of players they can use to some extent.
In 2025, the Vikings used three starting EDs who played more than 550 defensive snaps apiece, and four other EDs who played 53 or fewer snaps. We’ll just concentrate on the three main starters.
Dallas Turner (6-3, 247 lbs, RAS 8.86) – the Vikings’ 2024 first-round pick logged the most playing time (702 snaps) with the bulk of his snaps as a stand-up OLB, almost evenly split between left and right ends. Turner is somewhat undersized, but has elite speed, agility and explosiveness.
In 2025, Turner played 321 snaps in run defense (45.7%), 288 pass rush snaps (41.0%) and 93 snaps in coverage (13.2%). His coverage snap total was the 6th highest among EDs in the regular season.
Turner generated pressure on 14.6% of pass rush attempts, including 8 sacks, placing him at the 80th percentile of EDs. He was not great in run defense, with a 5.1% Run Stop Rate (32nd percentile). No ED played enough in coverage to generate reliable coverage stats. But his numbers over two years with the Vikings show good ball production for an ED (1 INT, 4 PD), and good containment of receiving yardage (0.88 Y/Cov Snp, 68.6 Passer Rating) matched against RBs, TEs, slot receivers and the occasional wideout.
Andrew Van Ginkel (6-4, 242 lbs, RAS 9.26) was the Vikings’ most used ED in coverage, and played the most coverage snaps of any ED in the regular season (135 cov snaps, 23% of total). Van Ginkel is another smaller ED with elite speed and athleticism for the position. He was drafted by the Dolphins in Flores’ first year as HC, and followed Flores to the Vikings a year after his draft coach moved there as DC. The move sparked a resurgence in production from the 29 year old OLB (11.5 sacks, 18 TFL, 2 INT TD, 6 PD, 1 FF) resulting in 2nd team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nominations.
In 2025, Van Ginkel played 135 coverage snaps (23% of total), the most of any ED league-wide in the regular season. A fair few CBs would be happy with his pass defense numbers (26 Tgt/16 rec, 165 yds, 1 INT, 10 PD, 63.8 Passer Rating). Van Ginkel rushed the passer on only 30% of defensive snaps, but generated pressure on 14.4% of attempts (80th percentile) and produced 7 sacks and 13 QB hits. Van Ginkel’s weakness is in run support. His 3.8% Run Stop Rate (15th percentile) in 2025 was fairly typical of his recent career.
Jonathan Greenard (6-3, 259 lbs, RAS 5.47) was a 2020 third-round pick by the Texans. Coming out of college, he profiled with middling athletic traits, but a good skillset to develop into a well rounded ED.
His measurables and 2025 productivity bear a strong resemblance to the Commanders’ Dorance Armstrong. Last season, Greenard had a 48% pass rush, 40% run defense, 12% coverage split of assignments. He was the least used of Minnesota’s EDs in coverage, but still logged 65 coverage snaps, which is around 3 times the average for EDs.
Greenard only logged 3 sacks last season, but he generated pressure on 17.4% of pass rush attempts, placing him at the 96th percentile of EDs. He was also the best run defender among the Vikings’ EDs, with an 8.8% Run Stop Rate falling just below the 90th percentile of players at his position. Not surprisingly, for a stronger, less athletic ED, his pass defence numbers were less impressive than his teammates (3 PD, 85.7% Rec, 29 yds, 83.9 Passer Rating). Although, he was still far from a liability on coverage drops.
Commanders EDs Under Contract
The Commanders currently have four EDs under contract:
Dorance Armstrong Jr (6-4, 255 lbs, RAS 5.91, $12.1M Cap Hit) followed Dan Quinn to Washington in 2024 on a three-year contract. He had a solid season in 2024 and then stepped up to the next level in 2025 until suffering a season-ending ACL tear in the Week 7 loss to Dallas. Through seven games, he had a 15.4% Pressure Rate (88th percentile), with 5.5 sacks, which had him on pace for a 13-sack season. His 8.9% Run Stop Rate was at the 90th Percentile for EDs.
Armstrong has been used sparingly on coverage drops throughout his career in Washington and Dallas. His pass defense numbers across 109 career coverage snaps are fairly pedestrian, with 5 PDs, 174 yds allowed, and a 101.2 opposing Passer Rating. He is better used moving upfield than dropping back.
Armstrong is the only proven starting-level ED on the roster. His breakout season in 2025 was cut short by an ACL tear in mid-October. In a best case scenario, he could be rehabbed and ready to play on opening day. However, the Commanders will need to find someone who is capable of filling in for him until he is back to form, as well as another ED to start across from him.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste (6-4, 260 lbs, RAS 9.22, $1.1M Cap Hit) was showing signs of improvement in his second NFL season, before he suffered a season-ending pec tear in the Week 4 loss to the Falcons. He should be back for offseason activities. But to this point in his career, there is no reason to believe that Commanders’ 2024 seventh-round pick is anything more than a rotational player. Jean-Baptiste has good burst and speed, but it is questionable whether he has the agility to play in coverage like the Vikings’ EDs.
T.J. Maguranyanga (6-4, 222 lbs, Cap Hit $885K) is a former Zimbabwean rugby union player, who signed with the Commanders through the International Player Pathway Program in 2025. He played 11 snaps against Denver and recorded a single tackle assist. He probably needs to add weight, if the team’s number is real.
Andre Carter II (6-6, 256, RAS 6.29) signed a reserve/future contract in January. The former UDFA out of Army has played a total of 84 defensive snaps with the Vikings and Raiders.
Free Agent EDs the Commanders Should Consider
Jaelan Phillips, Eagles
6-5 | 266 lbs | RAS 9.87 | Age 27
Market Valuation (AAV): Spotrac $17.3M, OTC $22.9M
2025 Stats: 17 Starts | 53 Comb Tkl | 31 Stops | 5 Sacks | 14 QB Hits | 1 FF | 4 PD
Pressure Rate: 17.4% (rk 6)
Run Stop Rate: 6.7% (rk 44)
Phillips is the type of freaky athlete that AP is drawn toward, but is bigger than the players Jones worked with in Minnesota, and not as good in coverage as the speed rushers. He is the premium ED available in free agency to play in a 3-4 defensive front according to many analysts’ rankings. But his production has been inconsistent over his 5-year career. I’d be concerned about committing upward of $20M AAV in a multi-year deal for a player who has never logged more than 8.5 sacks in a season.
In his best seasons, he has been good at pressuring the QB, but has a fairly low rate of conversion to sacks. In 2023, he led EDs in Run Stop Rate at 12.2%. But he hasn’t produced at that level consistently.
Phillips has been used in coverage a fair amount for an ED. In 2025, he logged 76 coverage snaps which was the 10th most among EDs, and the most among those available in FA. But his coverage stats were not overly impressive: 13 Tgt, 11 Rec (84.6% @ 0.6 yd ADOT), 82 yds, 92.9 Passer Rating against.
Phillips could help shore up the ED position for the Commanders. But his past production and inconsistency raise red flags for a player at his expected asking price. Other players in this roundup offer better value, and possibly also better scheme fits, as well.
Odafe Oweh, Chargers
6-5 | 251 lbs | RAS 9.92 | Age 27
Market Valuation (AAV): Spotrac $19.3M, OTC $9.6M
2025 Stats: 4 Starts | 42 Comb Tkl | 29 Stops | 10.5 Sacks | 21 QB Hits | 2 FF
Pressure Rate: 13.8% (rk 29)
Run Stop Rate: 11.4% (rk 3)
Speaking of athletic freaks, Oweh ran 4.37 sec 40 at the Combine at 257 lbs. He’s got the height, burst and agility that the Commanders’ GM looks for in an ED. He has been a solid producer in heavy rotational roles throughout his career, but has never managed to translate his elite traits into elite production. Even so, he has been very good.
One area in which Oweh has consistently excelled is in stopping the run. He had the third highest Run Stop Rate among EDs in 2024 and 2025, and only ranked outside the top 15 EDs in 2023. The Commanders have had a glaring weakness at setting the edge on the right side of the line for the past two seasons, so he would be a welcome addition to address one of the biggest weaknesses on defense.
Oweh has been used in coverage on around 32 snaps per season, which is a little more than the average rate for an ED. Contrary to what you might expect based on his athleticism, his coverage numbers are fairly average, with 1 career PD, and a 102.3 opposing Passer Rating.
Oweh consistently generates pressure and sacks, and would be a big upgrade in run defense. He has the athletic profile to play in coverage occasionally, but that doesn’t appear to be a particular strength. He does have some similarities to the EDs Jones worked with in Minnesota.
The Chargers acquired Oweh in a mid-season swap which went well for them, and have a lot of cap-space to work with. So it could be challenging to lure him away, if they want him back. He could be great value for the Commanders if they can find a way to bring him in for well under Spotrac’s valuation. FWIW, he’d be my top choice if the price is right.
K’Lavon Chaisson, Patriots
6-3 | 255 lbs | Age 27
Market Valuation (AAV): Spotrac $9.0M, OTC $10.4M
2025 Stats: 12 Starts | 43 Comb Tkl | 29 Stops | 10.5 Sacks | 28 QB Hits | 3 FF | 3 PD
Pressure Rate: 14.3% (rk 25)
Run Stop Rate: 5.6% (rk 70)
Chaisson was considered a bust after being drafted by the Jaguars in the first round in 2020. But he might be a late bloomer, with rising production over the past two seasons.
Chaisson was solid in the 2025 regular season and then really came alive in the playoffs, recording 3 sacks in four games, 1 PD, 1 FF and 4 TFL, which was the most of any player in the post-season.
Chaisson has had moderate playing time in coverage for an ED, and has never really stood out in that aspect of his game. He is also fairly mediocre in run defense, although his numbers are in keeping with the Vikings’ speed rushers.
The Commanders might take a gamble on his 2025 pass rush numbers being a trend, rather than a fluke. But there are probably safer bets available in FA.
Boye Mafe, Seahawks
6-4 | 261 lbs | RAS 9.91 |Age 27
Market Valuation (AAV): Spotrac $12.2M, OTC $7.1M
2025 Stats: 4 Starts | 36 Comb Tkl | 19 Stops | 2 Sacks | 5 QB Hits | 1 FF | 5 PD
Pressure Rate: 11.2% (rk 69)
Run Stop Rate: 6.7% (rk 44)
Mafe might be the poor man’s Odafe Oweh. He is another super athletic ED, with elite speed and explosiveness. He is a well rounded OLB for a 3-4 front, but his production doesn’t stand out in any particular way. He had good pass rush production in 2023 and 2024, but saw a dip in 2025. His Run Stop Rate was decent in 2025, but that was his best figure since 2022.
He has been used in coverage around twice as much as the average ED (44 Cov Snaps in 2025) and is a consistent producer of pass breakups, and has been good at containing yardage by receivers.
Mafe plays a somewhat different role, but is a better overall ED than the Commanders’ starters on the right side over the past two seasons. He should be a good fit to Flores-style defense, and might benefit from increased opportunities in coverage.
Malcolm Koonce, Raiders
6-2 | 243 lbs | Age 28
Market Valuation (AAV): Spotrac $9.9M, OTC $5.1M
2025 Stats: 3 Starts | 30 Comb Tkl | 18 Stops | 4.5 Sacks | 13 QB Hits | 1 FF
Pressure Rate: 10.6% (rk 77)
Run Stop Rate: 6.8% (rk 40)
Koonce was the Raiders’ third-round pick in 2021. He had a breakout season in 2023, with 8 sacks, 27 stops and 3 FF with a 15.1% Pressure Rate in the pass rush and an 11.3% Run Stop Rate (3rd among EDs). He missed the 2024 season with an ACL/meniscus tear suffered in pre-season. In 2025, he played 501 defensive snaps in 17 games. But his production fell short of his pre-injury figures.
Koonce has never been used much in coverage, so it’s unclear what he might have to offer there. He could be worth a flyer if AP can sign him to a one year prove it deal near OTC’s figure, in the hope that he is still recovering from the knee injury, and can get closer to his pre-injury form this year. He is only listed here, because I’m going in order of market valuation. The last player in the list would be a better value and less risky option for the Commanders.
Arnold Ebiketie, Falcons
6-2 | 250 lbs | RAS 8.91 | Age 27
Market Valuation (AAV): Spotrac $9.0M, OTC $3.6M
2025 Stats: 3 Starts (384 Def Snp) | 36 Comb Tkl | 17 Stops | 2 Sacks | 6 QB Hits | 1 PD
Pressure Rate: 13.7% (rk 32)
Run Stop Rate: 5.7% (rk 68)
Ebiketie is an athletic OLB with decent production over his career in the pass rush. He has been weaker in run defense, but his Run Stop Rate is in keeping with the Vikings’ speed rushers.
What could make him a great fit in Washington’s new look defense is that he is experienced at dropping into coverage. His playing time and production dipped in 2025. But over the previous two seasons, he played 57 and 72 coverage snaps. He was fairly leaky in coverage in 2023, but cleaned it up in 2024 and 2025, allowing just 32 receiving yards and no TDs in a total of 79 coverage snaps.
If the valuations are accurate, he could be a very good value as a starter or high end rotational OLB in a Flores-style defense.