NFC East 2024 free agency grades: Washington Commanders edition

The Washington Commanders finished with a 4-13 record in 2023, and ended up with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They also entered free agency with over $90 million in cap space, most in the NFL.

Spoiler: They're going to improve their roster this offseason. But will they make smart moves with their over-abundance of resources?

Players gained

Note: Normally we'd list the headliners first, but since the Commanders added so many guys we'll just go in order of position.

• QB Marcus Mariota: Jalen Hurts started all 18 games for the Eagles in 2023, so Mariota's action was limited to a few snaps here and there whenever Hurts got a little dinged. His only extended action of the season came when he mopped up in the second half against the Giants Week 18 after the Eagles pulled their starters. He made $5 million in 2023 for 46 inconsequential snaps. In my opinion, Mariota did not look very good in training camp practices, and he was definitively outplayed by QB3 Tanner McKee in the preseason games. He'll make $6 million on a one-year deal in Washington.

• RB Austin Ekeler: Ekeler will turn 29 in May and he had his worst season as a runner in 2023, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry after averaging 4.6 yards per carry over the rest of his career. He also had his lowest number of receptions (51) since the 2018 season. He got a two-year deal worth up to $11.4 million. I could see a contender maybe trying to squeeze one last good year out of Ekeler, but he doesn't make a lot of sense to me for a team that is nowhere close to Super Bowl contention. New OC Anthony Lynn previously worked with Ekeler in L.A. with the Chargers, so maybe he just felt comfortable with Ekeler helping break in a rookie quarterback?

• TE Zach Ertz: Ertz will get up to $5 million for one year. He had 27 catches for 187 yards (6.9 YPC 😬) and 1 TD for Arizona last season in 7 games. Again, what does Ertz do for this team long-term?

• C Tyler Biadasz: Biadasz has been the the Cowboys' starting center for the last three seasons, but he's just kind of a guy. He got a three-year deal worth $30 million. The Commanders have had all kinds of issues at center over the last few years, and will hope that Biadasz solidifies that spot.

• OG Nick Allegretti: Allegretti has played at LG, C, and RG for the Chiefs, and will give the Commanders some OL versatility/flexibility. Three years, $16 million is perhaps a bit of an overpay, but he's a useful player.

• DE Dorance Armstrong: Armstrong is one of several players who will follow Dan Quinn from Dallas to Washington. He got paid well to do so. Three years, $45 million. Armstrong has 23.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and just 14 starts in six career seasons, and it's probably fair to say that he isn't a player likely to find much in the way of an untapped ceiling. Still, the Commanders needed pass rushers after trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the 2023 trade deadline. Armstrong is a very good role player in Dallas who will step into a starting role and have higher expectations in Washington.

• DE Dante Fowler: Fowler had 10 sacks over the last two seasons as a situational pass rusher for the Cowboys. He signed a one-year deal for a little over $3 million.

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• DE Clelin Ferrell: Ferrell was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was a bust with the Raiders, but started all 17 games for the 49ers in 2023. 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 13 QB hits. He signed a one-year deal worth $3.75 million.

• LB Frankie Luvu: Luvu is a fun linebacker to watch, and he racked up big numbers on a bad Panthers team. In his first two seasons as a full-time starter, Luvu had a combined 236 tackles and 12.5 sacks in 2022 and 2023. He is one of the best blitzing linebackers in the NFL, and should be a weapon for Quinn. Luvu got a three-year deal worth up to $36 million. He is the type of ascending player who makes a lot of sense for a team that is trying to basically build from scratch.

• LB Bobby Wagner: Wagner led the NFL with 183 tackles in 2023. He is still a good player, particularly against the run. However, he'll be 34 this summer, and like Ekeler and Ertz above is kind of a weird fit for a team nowhere close to contention. We'll get to that in the summary below. One year, $6.5 million.

• LB Anthony Pittman: Pittman played for four years with the Lions, mainly as a special teams guy.

• CB Michael Davis: Davis is a 29-year-old corner who has played in 107 games, with 74 starts. He hasn't been an impact player (8 career INTs, 1 career forced fumble), and is kinda just a guy. I don't see financial details anywhere, so he likely didn't get a big payday.

• CB Noah Igbinoghene: Igbinoghene was a Dolphins first-round bust who signed with the Cowboys last season, and played in five games. Yet another guy following Quinn to Washington from Dallas.

• CB James Pierre: Four-year backup corner with the Steelers.

• S Jeremy Chinn: Safety/linebacker hybrid in the same mold as Keanu Neal, who played for Quinn in Dallas. One-year deal, just under $4 million.

• K Brandon McManus: McManus replaces Joey Slye. He's hit field goals at a low 79.5% clip the last two seasons with the Broncos and Jaguars, neither of whom seemed inclined to go out of their way to keep him.

• LS Tyler Ott: Remember when the Commanders traded up for a long snapper in the 2021 draft? Lol.

Players retained

• WR Jamison Crowder: 16-159-1 with the Commanders last season.

• DE Efe Obada: 26 tackles, 4 sacks in 22 games since signing with the Commanders in 2022.

• S Jeremy Reaves: Pro Bowl special teams guy.

Players lost

• QB Jacoby Brissett (Patriots): Brissett probably would've been a better mentor for whoever the Commanders draft at quarterback than Mariota will be. However, he was also more expensive than Mariota.

• RB Antonio Gibson (Patriots): Gibson had a big rookie season in 2020, but has averaged 3.9 yards per carry since.

• WR Curtis Samuel (Bills): Samuel made more than $34 million in Washington over the last three years. He averaged 44 catches for 432 yards and 3 TDs per season.

• OL Saahdiq Charles (Titans): Charles was a Commanders fourth-round pick in 2020 who played in 35 games (18 starts). 

• LB Cody Barton (Broncos): Barton had a rough season in Washington after signing there as a free agent last offseason.

• S Kamren Curl (Rams): Curl was a hit as a seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft, starting 53 games over the last four years. He was a solid-not-special starter who will likely be replaced by Chinn.

The tale of the tape

Analysis/Grade

As noted above, the Commanders entered free agency with the most cap space in the NFL. After signing 17 outside players, they still have just under $50 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, the second-most in the NFL. Their roster is better, and they have the following picks in the 2024 NFL Draft:

They have three top 40 picks, 6 picks in the first two days of the draft, and 9 total. The decisions they make in the draft this year will have far bigger consequences than what they do in free agency, especially at the second overall pick (or maybe first overall if they move up), where they are certain to take a quarterback.

In free agency, they didn't add many players who appear to be in their long-term plans. I would count LB Frankie Luvu, C Tyler Biadasz, OL Nick Allegretti, and DE Dorance Armstrong among the long-term players. The majority of their other signings are one-year deals.

They improved their roster to a level where the rookie quarterback won't be surrounded by utter garbage. Would I have signed Austin Ekeler or Zach Ertz? Nope. But a year from now the Commanders can move on from most of the guys on one-year deals, and perhaps get more aggressive with long-term answers when they'll once again be loaded up with cap space.

I don't know if that was their designed approach to free agency this offseason, but it sure seems to be set up that way, and it makes sense both from a short-term and long-term perspective.

Grade: B.

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