The Washington Commanders are coming off a 27-18 Thursday Night loss to the Green Bay Packers. While Jayden Daniels and the offense had a tough time against Micah Parsons and company, they did have success at the tight end position.
Daniels was able to find success throwing the ball to Zach Ertz who showcased his yards after the catch skill in scoring a touchdown for the Commanders. How impactful could the offense be with a younger tight end who is showing first round talent at Oregon.
Yes, we are talking about Kenyon Sadiq who is one of the top tight end prospects to watch ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. So far in the 2025 season, Sadiq has 5 receptions for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Ducks. His athleticism and ability after the catch is what stands out about Sadiq which could make him a perfect replacement to Ertz if the Commanders are locked in on the position entering the draft.
Dante dimes. #GoDucks @dantemoore05 🤝 @KenyonSadiq pic.twitter.com/w56yZYF6HQ
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) September 13, 2025
Is Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq the Commanders’ top need in 2026?
A rejuvenated Ertz is showing how effective the Commanders’ offense can be with an athletic tight end target. In the team’s Week 2 loss to the Packers, the veteran tight end caught 6 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. Imagine a younger version of Ertz and you have Sadiq who could be a prime target for Daniels.
As far as need, Ertz is only on a one-year deal and behind him, the Commanders have 2024 NFL Draft pick Ben Sinnott who hasn’t been effective in the offense so far. In his latest NFL Mock Draft, FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang sees an opportunity for the Commanders to draft a player in Sadiq who has the skillset to create mismatches all over the field.
Rang writes:
“Oregon has produced a number of quality tight ends over the past 25 years, including last year’s No. 46 overall pick Terrance Ferguson. Sadiq, though, might have the highest upside of all of them. He’s a legitimate matchup nightmare too big and powerful for defensive backs and too fast for linebackers, profiling similarly to former No. 6 overall pick and two-time Pro Bowler Vernon Davis.”
While Commanders’ offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury would have a field day with Sadiq as part of the offense, Washington’s greatest need will be finding a game-changing pass rusher to the mix. In NFL Mocks’ latest full round 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Commanders land Florida edge Tyreak Sapp late in the first round.
The 6-foot-3, 274-pound edge rusher is coming off a 2024 college football season in which he racked up 7 sacks. Ranked as one of the top pass rushers entering the 2026 NFL Draft, Sapp is a defender the Commanders should keep their eye on if they want to add young coming off the edge. If Sapp heats up in 2025 for the Gators, his value could increase.
In all, it will be intriguing for the Commanders to add a dynamic playmaker like Sadiq on offense, but if they are a team that wants to continue their trajectory as a contender in the NFC, they must find young defensive playmakers who could be difference makers on the field.