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The Washington Commanders entered free agency with a lot of holes, but plenty of cash to spend. One month after free agency began, the Commanders have signed 14 external free agents, re-signed some of their own free agents, and signed others to contract extensions, including star left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Almost everyone liked what Washington did in free agency. The Commanders made one splashy signing — EDGE Odafe Oweh (4 years, $96 million) — but mainly focused on adding younger players coming off their rookie contracts to team-friendly deals. The primary goal was to get younger and faster, which Washington has done, while also improving the defense, specifically, the pass rush.
However, not everyone was impressed.
Mike Sando of The Athletic recently spoke to different NFL executives about how each NFC team fared in free agency.
Here's part of what Sando wrote:
Washington added players who not only make them younger and faster, but, most importantly, better. Mission accomplished. While some signings may not make the most sense (Amik Robertson), most of the others do. Saying Robertson doesn't make sense is not a knock on the player. He profiles similarly to starting cornerback Mike Sainristil. Both play inside and outside, with many analysts believing Sainristil's best spot is inside. Robertson will play the slot for Washington, which means Sainristil will start on the outside. The truth is, Sainristil has been outside.
Oweh and Chaisson are good players who are still young, coming off their best seasons with plenty of upside remaining. Those are the types of players you target in free agency. The same could be said for tight end Chig Okonkwo, linebacker Leo Chenal and safety Nick Cross. These are all younger — and faster — players, who will immediately play significant roles.
One thing Sando did share from an NFL executive that almost everyone would agree with: quarterback Jayden Daniels must remain healthy for the Commanders to reach their ceiling. If he resembles the 2024 version, Daniels can camouflage several issues.
It's worth noting that GM Adam Peters was also aggressive in pursuing upgrades at the wide receiver position, targeting Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs. Pierce decided to stay in Indianapolis. As for Doubs, Washington likely had a price, and wasn't going over that number for a receiver who does not profile as a true No. 1.
Another exec told Sando that they felt like Washington made "panic" moves. The only move that could be considered a panic move was the Oweh contract. Guess what? Oweh was considered a top-10 free agent, and if the Commanders didn't pay him, he had options. We'll see if it works out, but sacks cost a lot of money on the open market.
Not everyone will agree on anything. The vibes around Washington are much better after an active free-agency period, and now the attention turns to the 2026 NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Not everyone liked the free agent signings
Continue reading...
Almost everyone liked what Washington did in free agency. The Commanders made one splashy signing — EDGE Odafe Oweh (4 years, $96 million) — but mainly focused on adding younger players coming off their rookie contracts to team-friendly deals. The primary goal was to get younger and faster, which Washington has done, while also improving the defense, specifically, the pass rush.
However, not everyone was impressed.
Mike Sando of The Athletic recently spoke to different NFL executives about how each NFC team fared in free agency.
Here's part of what Sando wrote:
Washington added players who not only make them younger and faster, but, most importantly, better. Mission accomplished. While some signings may not make the most sense (Amik Robertson), most of the others do. Saying Robertson doesn't make sense is not a knock on the player. He profiles similarly to starting cornerback Mike Sainristil. Both play inside and outside, with many analysts believing Sainristil's best spot is inside. Robertson will play the slot for Washington, which means Sainristil will start on the outside. The truth is, Sainristil has been outside.
Oweh and Chaisson are good players who are still young, coming off their best seasons with plenty of upside remaining. Those are the types of players you target in free agency. The same could be said for tight end Chig Okonkwo, linebacker Leo Chenal and safety Nick Cross. These are all younger — and faster — players, who will immediately play significant roles.
One thing Sando did share from an NFL executive that almost everyone would agree with: quarterback Jayden Daniels must remain healthy for the Commanders to reach their ceiling. If he resembles the 2024 version, Daniels can camouflage several issues.
It's worth noting that GM Adam Peters was also aggressive in pursuing upgrades at the wide receiver position, targeting Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs. Pierce decided to stay in Indianapolis. As for Doubs, Washington likely had a price, and wasn't going over that number for a receiver who does not profile as a true No. 1.
Another exec told Sando that they felt like Washington made "panic" moves. The only move that could be considered a panic move was the Oweh contract. Guess what? Oweh was considered a top-10 free agent, and if the Commanders didn't pay him, he had options. We'll see if it works out, but sacks cost a lot of money on the open market.
Not everyone will agree on anything. The vibes around Washington are much better after an active free-agency period, and now the attention turns to the 2026 NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Not everyone liked the free agent signings
Continue reading...
