Commanders' 2025 Free Agents, Targets and Draft Needs After NFL Playoff Loss

What a season it was for the Washington Commanders in 2024. A year ago, Washington was coming off a four-win season, searching for its next head coach and pondering options for the second pick in the 2024 NFL draft. A year later, the Commanders reached the playoffs as a wild-card team.

The Commanders advanced to the NFC Championship Game with a last-second road win over the scrappy Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a convincing win over the top-seeded Detroit Lions. Unfortunately, their season came to an end in a 55-23 blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

During the offseason, Washington found its two most important pieces in head coach Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Both exceeded expectations in their first years and helped spark a remarkable turnaround.

Now that the Commanders' postseason run has ended, however, Quinn and general manager Adam Peters must begin the process of building on what Washington accomplished this season.

While the Commanders have several building blocks in place, there will be contracts to address and holes to fill when the new league year kicks off on March 12. Here's a look at what's ahead for Washington in the coming months.

Unrestricted Free Agents

TE John Bates

G Michael Beiter

ST Nick Bellore

WR Dyami Brown

WR Noah Brown

S Jeremy Chinn

WR Jamison Crowder

CB Michael Davis

DL Sheldon Day

QB Jeff Driskel

TE Zach Ertz

Edge Clelin Ferrell

S Darrick Forrest

Edge Dante Fowler Jr.

K Zane Gonzalez

DL Jayln Holmes

CB Noah Igbinoghene

OT Cornelius Lucas

QB Marcus Mariota

RB Jeremy McNichols

WR K.J. Osborn

OT Trent Scott

K Austin Seibert

CB Benjamin St-Juste

LB Mykal Walker

LB Bobby Wagner

P Tress Way

WR Olamide Zaccheaus

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The good news for Washington is that it does have centerpiece players like Daniels, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, running back Brian Robinson Jr., edge-rusher Dorance Armstrong, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and defensive tackle Daron Payne under contract for 2025.

The bad news is that the Commanders have done a miserable job of drafting in recent years, which left the team with a very underwhelming supporting cast entering last offseason. Hoping for a quick turnaround, Peters focused on adding experienced veterans on short-term deals.

That strategy was successful, but it leaves Washington with an extensive list of impending 2025 free agents. On that list are key contributors like linebacker Bobby Wagner, tight end Zach Ertz, swing tackle Cornelius Lucas, defensive back Jeremy Chinn, pass-rusher Dante Fowler Jr. and wide receiver Noah Brown.

Expect several of these players to be considered offseason priorities for the Commanders. While Washington will undoubtedly look for future long-term replacements for older vets like Wagner and Ertz, it won't want to tear down the roster completely after making a playoff run.

Peters will likely ride a careful line between bringing back familiar faces and adding new ones. Many of his decisions will likely hinge on any external free agent options that present themselves during the legal-contact window, which will open on March 10.

Washington is projected to have $102.5 million in available cap space, third-most in the NFL.

The Commanders have the cap space necessary to be major players on the free agent and trade markets. However, targeting top talent may be a bigger priority than filling specific needs, given the pieces that are in place.

Washington has no first-round picks from the 2019-2023 drafts on its roster, and while it has some great foundational pieces, its list of legitimate stars is rather short.

Should a top-tier pass-rusher like Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby become available in a trade, the Commanders will probably make an offer. The same could be true if a receiver like Deebo Samuel or Garrett Wilson hits the trade market.

Washington may also consider making a play for tight end Kyle Pitts, who has been underutilized by the Atlanta Falcons ever since his rookie season. Even if Ertz is retained, providing Daniels with a tight end who can stretch the field would aid the second-year quarterback significantly.

Behind McLaurin, Washington's long-term receiver depth is questionable. While Payne and Allen are a terrific defensive tackle tandem, the Commanders could use more depth on the defensive interior and at defensive end.

Adding another top-tier defensive back to pair with 2024 trade-deadline acquisition Marshon Lattimore would also be plenty logical during the early offseason.

Again, Washington will likely look for upgrades rather than outright replacements for impending free agents.

The Commanders may (and likely will) target the likes of Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward, New York Giants pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun during the legal-tampering period. If they can't land premium players at those positions, they'll likely then look to retain the likes of Brown, Wagner and Fowler when the market officially opens.

Don't be surprised if Quinn pushes to fill out the roster with players he knows from his time with the Dallas Cowboys—as he did when targeting Armstrong, Fowler and Tyler Biadasz in 2024.

Impending Cowboys free agents like cornerback Jourdan Lewis, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa are probably firmly on Quinn's radar.

While the Commanders will likely look to make a few splashes in the early offseason, don't expect them to dramatically overpay to acquire star talent. Quinn has shown that he can bring a roster together quickly, and this is no longer a franchise begging to attract talent.

Expect Peters to acquire what he can via free agency and trades before filling in any remaining holes through the draft. Though Washington surrendered a third-round pick to acquire Lattimore, it still has picks in each of the first three rounds because of the Jahan Dotson trade.

If Washington proves to be a hot offseason landing spot, Peters may simply employ a best-player available approach in the draft. In Round 1, that could mean targeting a prospect like Georgia edge-rusher, Mykel Williams, Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon and Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris.

"Harris would provide the Commander's offense with a true X-receiver with his height, weight and play strength," Dame Parson of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department said in November. "...Harris and McLaurin would immediately become one of the NFC's most talented pass-catching duos."

Another talented crop of rookie tight ends appears to be incoming, so prospects like Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, Penn State tight end Tyler Warren and Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. could also be on Washington's radar early.

Potential Day 2 prospects that the Commanders will likely consider include Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter, Utah State receiver Jalen Royals and Clemson tight end Jake Briningstool.

Peters probably won't reach for any specific position and may instead focus on finding the right fits for his franchise while avoiding the types of busts that have plagued the Commanders in the past.

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*Cap, contract and free-agent status information via Spotrac. Draft information via Tankathon