Commanders Quickly Becoming a Threat to Sign 3 Vikings Free Agents

The Washington Commanders hired Minnesota Vikings defensive passing game coordinator Daronte Jones to be their next defensive coordinator last week, and based on how the NFL usually works, a handful of purple free agents could follow Jones to the nation’s capital: Eric Wilson, Ivan Pace Jr., and Fabian Moreau.

Washington’s interest looks plausible with Jones in town, so Vikings fans should be prepared for some Commanders’ signings.

Adding those free agents certainly isn’t a foregone conclusion, but add Wilson, Pace Jr., and Moreau as possible Commanders’ free-agent signees in 4.5 weeks.

Washington Emeres as a Real FA Threat

Free agency is just around the corner, believe it or not.

Eric Wilson (LB)

Wilson will turn 32 during the 2026 regular season, and based on his 2025 performance, he may simply reunite in Minnesota. But what if the age scares away the Vikings’ brass? Wilson would need a new NFL home. Jones running the show in Washington makes sense in that example.

Minnesota signed him as depth, a rotational linebacker slotted behind Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. He entered 2025 as a backup and special teamer, barely part of the defensive conversation.

By December, Wilson was a bona fide starter. He turned into a true disruptor, collapsing offensive lines and appearing behind the line with startling consistency. He finished the season leading all off-ball linebackers in sacks and pressures, hovering near the top of the league in forced fumbles.

The impact reshaped how the defense felt when he wasn’t on the field. At 31, Wilson authored the best season of his career, even if it arrived later than expected.

Now, free agency brings the business side again. Wilson can sign with any NFL team when that process opens on March 9th, and league expectations point toward Minnesota prioritizing a return. Given the breakout and the age curve, a deal in the $5–7 million range makes sense.

If the Commanders pay more than the Vikings, it could be a no-brainer for Wilson.

CBS Sports‘ David Harrison on Wilson as a Commanders’ free-agent target: “Fans of the team are going to flinch at the idea of the oldest team in the NFL last year adding a 32-year-old linebacker this offseason, but not only should Eric Wilson be a priority target, but he might also be the most important addition of the year if general manager Adam Peters can bring him in.”

“Coming to Washington, Wilson would become an immediate translator between Jones and his new roster of players, and could also play a pivotal role on the defense itself were he thrust into increased action like he was in Minnesota. Even if he is in his 30s.”

Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)

Pace Jr. had a rough year. Let’s just get that out in the open.

He began the 2025 campaign as a starter, and within six weeks, Wilson snatched his job. As mentioned above, Wilson was too good to sit on the bench. Meanwhile, the timing was flat-out terrible for Pace Jr., as he’ll hit restricted free agency in March. He was supposed to spend all of 2025 as a starter and cash in big with the Vikings or a new team.

Now, Pace Jr. will basically start from scratch, hoping to prove he has the juice of an NFL starter. Missed tackles plagued his first six games, and Minnesota evidently soured on his snap count.

In Washington, the off-ball linebackers aren’t young: Frankie Luvu (29) and Bobby Wagner (35), if Wagner re-signs. Pace Jr., on the other hand, won’t turn 26 until December.

Fabian Moreau (CB)

Minnesota entered the 2025 season with concerns about cornerback depth. Isaiah Rodgers, Byron Murphy Jr., and Jeff Okudah were the only viable starters, while Dwight McGlothern and rookie Zemaiah Vaughn remained on the practice squad. Depth appeared dangerously thin, leaving little room for error.

A bit of panic set in when Okudah suffered multiple concussions. The Vikings promoted Fabian Moreau from the practice squad, opting for him over McGlothern, and quietly filled a void that could have crippled the secondary. The results then exceeded expectations. Moreau earned a 70.9 PFF grade and allowed a 47.4 passer rating on 19 targets, providing consistent production in a role that was overlooked and deprioritized during Minnesota’s 2025 offseason.

Looking forward for the Vikings, Moreau would be a sensible CB3-CB4 option for 2026, assuming interim general manager Rob Brzezinski acquires a true CB1 through free agency or the draft. While he will turn 32 this offseason, his performance suggests he has another year or two left. In effect, he gave the Vikings what they had hoped to receive from Okudah. It worked out.

Or — Moreau could follow Jones to Washington. Moreau spent his entire rookie contract in Washington, drafted in 2017 as a 3rd-Round pick by Jay Gruden’s Commanders.