Commander’s breakout 8.5 sack pass rusher is expected to be poached by the rival Eagles

The Washington Commanders are (8-5) entering the bye week – and heading into the 2024 season, fans would have been more than thrilled to learn that their team would have a solid chance in the first year of a full season Rebuild to reach the playoffs.

The overhaul began with new owner Josh Harris and the new ownership group. Harris and company hired former 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters to oversee the roster and hire a head coach. Peters chose Dan Quinn — who led the Falcons to the Super Bowl as head coach and was the architect behind the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in recent seasons, a unit that ranked in the top five in the NFL under his leadership.

Peters and Quinn did their best to put together a competitive roster in the offseason, as the roster they inherited had a severe lack of talent. Instead of trying to sign a few flashy veterans, Peters and Co. looked for diamonds in the rough. Several Washington starters are former high-round draft picks who didn’t live up to their potential early in their careers and signed in DC to prove themselves so they can get a big contract in 2025.

Somehow the team fit together and played well on both sides. For most of the year, Washington had one of the best offenses in the NFL – and after a three-game layoff, Jayden Daniels and the Commanders got back on track on Sunday by totaling over 400 yards and scoring 41 points against the Titans.

Defensively, Washington was up and down, but the improvement was easy to see from week to week.

Former first-round pick Dante Fowler Jr. has had some outstanding NFL seasons since being drafted third overall by the Jaguars in 2015.

He had 11.5 sacks for the Rams in 2019, but never proved to be the dominant, unstoppable pass rusher that was expected coming out of Florida.

But Fowler has found the fountain of youth in Washington, with 8.5 sacks and an interception for a touchdown so far in 2024 while playing for the Commanders on a one-year deal.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes the Philadelphia Eagles could make a move to sign Fowler this offseason, with Brandon Graham’s future looking far from certain and Josh Sweat becoming a free agent.

Nolan Smith could take over as the starter on offense, but the defense could still use some pass rush help.

That’s where Fowler comes in, as he had a strong season this fall with 8.5 sacks through the weekend. Although the 30-year-old, who turns 31 in August, has never been a great run defender, he can take on the quarterback with over 50 sacks in his career.

Plus, it would be nice to steal a player from one of Philadelphia’s biggest rivals and likely the club’s future biggest challenger in the division