Leo Chenal surveyed the NFL landscape and his market developing in free agency. Washington sure looked like a good one.
The Commanders placed a three-year, $24.5 million contract before him. The organization looked solid despite a rocky 2025 season, with an NFC runners-up finish the year before. New coordinator Daronte Jones was installing an intriguing scheme presumptively based on what Brian Flores runs in Minnesota.
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It sure seemed like an opportunity to both cash in and thrive on the football field after solid seasons in Kansas City.
“I really like (the system). It’s very linebacker friendly,” Chenal said Wednesday in a post-minicamp practice press conference. “It was cool coming here. To be able to look at my options and decide to come here and join a great administration with good coaches and players across the board. The scheme that Coach Jones brought from Minnesota is linebacker friendly in my opinion. There are a lot of eyes on the quarterback, and also to be able to see the running back and just make plays. It’s an exciting scheme to play in.”
“…They have great linebackers and great guys on the edge. Overall, this defense should be exciting. I’ll be able to play anywhere they want me to play.”
Chenal can play several different spots. He’s an off-the-ball linebacker by trade, but is impactful rushing the passer off the edge or from a linebacker spot. He’s a relentless run defender who is physical at the point of attack.
Daronte Jones prizes versatilty and will play to Chenal’s strengths. That’s possible because Washington doubled down at linebacker this offseason. They brought Chenal in on a multiyear deal, and subsequently drafted Ohio State product Sonny Styles at No. 7 overall.
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Those two will join veteran Frankie Luvu leading the position, which makes playing time and role breakdowns somewhat of an unknown as we move toward the regular season.
“We have great guys all around,” Chenal said. “Frankie is great and I want to be able to add to that and contribute where I can. We drafted Sonny in the first round, so you never know how it’ll play out. It’s a good problem to have. We have great linebackers all around. We have great guys on the edge. For me, it’s about playing where I can and playing where they want me to play.”
The Commanders will move Styles around some, but his speed and athleticism make him a great coverage option. Odds seem great he’ll be a three-down player with the green dot, a role he’ll have to earn even after making a solid first impression.
“You can tell why he was drafted in the top 10 picks,” Chenal said. “He looks the part. He plays the part and he sounds the part. From a young guy and coming from a big program and playing like he did, he’s up for early meetings and staying late at the facility. He commands the defense well. He’s very communicative. He’s a freak athlete. I already see a great maturity from him that you don’t get a lot from younger guys. It has been cool to watch him already grow from a high starting point.”
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Luvu’s entering a contract year, meaning an every-down Styles-Chenal partnership might be a long-term play.
Where will Chenal play in 2026 and how will be impactful during his first season in Washington? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
