The SEC will shift to a nine-game conference slate in 2026, scrapping divisions and locking in three annual opponents while rotating six others. Each program will play every other SEC team at least once every two years and host every foe on a four-year cycle, sharpening rivalries and tightening competition ahead of the College Football Playoff.

In addition, teams must schedule one quality nonconference opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, or Notre Dame each season, ensuring marquee nonleague matchups. Commissioner Greg Sankey frames the move as preserving traditions while raising the level of testing for playoff prep.

The change traces back decades in SEC discussions and echoes a broader aim to deliver top-tier schedules. With stronger league play and selective nonconference tests, teams face more meaningful games, which could shift player usage, fantasy values, and betting angles across the conference and beyond.

Washington’s return to WR prominence stays a priority heading into 2026, even if Terry McLaurin signs a new deal. With McLaurin’s contract talks stalling, the front office is eyeing a high-upside rookie to pair with a developing Jayden Daniels-led attack and Deebo Samuel’s uncertain future beyond 2025. Field Yates’ ESPN mock adds Alabama’s Germie Bernard to the mix in Round 1, signaling Washington’s appetite for a long-term playmaker after Deebo Samuel’s potential free-agent exit next spring.

Bernard posted 50 catches for 794 yards as a Tide, flashing 20-yard-plus consistency across ten games and showcasing a 6-1 frame that should translate to NFL air yards. Though often overshadowed by Williams, Bernard’s profile fits a modern NFL offense that blends volume with big-play threat. If Washington can keep McLaurin in check financially, Bernard could become a bridge-to-crest target for a developing offense built around Daniels’ playmaking.

All signs point to a Commanders’ plan to keep layering youth at wide receiver, leveraging Bernard’s ceiling while weighing Deebo Samuel’s current value versus future cap implications. The 2026 draft landscape could yield a complementary duo that sustains Washington’s pass game for years, making this offseason a critical inflection point for the franchise’s attack.