The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The Washington Commanders were one of the most active teams in free agency last offseason and found several gems that elevated their roster and turned them into conference championship contenders. Now it's time to do it again.
General manager Adam Peters joked during the NFL Scouting Combine that the amount of available cap space people see on the internet isn't always accurate, but most salary cap websites and analysts agree that the Commanders will once again have some of the most available money to spend this offseason. The amount provided to each team by the NFL hit another record high this year, moving from $255.4 million in 2024 to $279.2 million in 2025.
Last year, the Commanders upgraded their roster by signing immediate contributors on short-term deals. Players like Jeremy Chinn, Bobby Wagner, Dante Fowler Jr. and Zach Ertz became lynchpins for their respective sides of the ball and were pivotal to Washington finishing with their best record in decades.
The Commanders also have 28 pending free agents on their roster, including several players who contributed to their success. So, Peters said, the team will be active in free agency because "we have to" in order to put together a roster. That means much of Washington's capital will be dedicated to retaining its own talent.
Still, there are opportunities for the Commanders to improve their roster in 2025, so in anticipation of free agency opening on March 13 at 4 p.m., Commanders.com is going to look at some of the top players set to become available on each side of the ball. After starting with the offensive skill players, we're moving on to the cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers.
-- CB Charvarius Ward: Ward dealt with tragedy last year when his 1-year-old daughter passed away due to heart problems, so it's understandable that his production took a dip from the Second Team All-Pro year he had in 2024. Ward had five interceptions and led the league with 23 pass breakups that season, and at 28 years old, he still had some quality seasons in front of him.
-- CB D.J. Reed: Reed has been one of the New York Jets' bright spots since he signed there in 2022. He recorded two double-digit pass breakup campaigns with them and had 220 tackles with them. He could be a good option for a team looking to acquire a No. 2 cornerback.
-- LB Ernest Jones: Jones' 2024 season was an interesting one, as he was traded away by the Los Angeles Rams to the Tennessee Titans and then to the Seattle Seahawks. There's no denying he has talent; prior to last season, he had put up a career-high 145 stops with 4.5 sacks. He's a young player (25) who could turn into a difference-maker.
-- S Justin Reid: Reid has been remarkedly consistent throughout his career with at least 80 tackles in six of his seven seasons. Although there are younger safeties on the market, it's clear he can still be a leader for any defense.
-- CB Noah Igbinoghene: One of multiple players to sign one-year deals with the Commanders, Igbinoghene had the best season of his career with 55 tackles and seven pass breakups in 17 games, including 10 as a starter. He played well for the Burgundy & Gold in the slot and got a career-high coverage grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts.
-- S Jeremy Chinn: Chinn was an enforcer for the Commanders at safety with 117 tackles -- his best total since 2021. Chinn said when he signed with the team that Washington's "run and hit" defensive style fit him well, and he backed that up throughout the Commanders' regular season and playoff run.
-- S Camryn Bynum: Bynum has been a ball hawk for the Vikings since he was drafted by them in 2021, recording at least one interception in each of his four seasons. After grabbing a career-high three picks in 2024, Bynum has become an ascending player who could receive plenty of interest in free agency.
--LB Bobby Wagner: It's difficult to deny Wagner's impact for the Commanders, as he helped stabilize the linebacker position and provided leadership to the defense as well as quarterback Jayden Daniels. Wagner put up another 100-tackle season in 2024, tying him with Washington Ring of Fame linebacker London Fletcher.
-- LB Dre Greenlaw: Greenlaw only played in two games last season because of a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Super Bowl LVIII, but his previous years are evidence of how impactful he can be for a defense. Perhaps there is hope that the 49ers can re-sign him, but many analysts believe one of the league's better linebackers will be available next week.
-- CB Stephon Gilmore: Gilmore's best days are behind him, but he's found ways to contribute despite being one of the oldest active cornerbacks still playing in the league. Although he probably isn't a starting-caliber player anymore, a team looking for depth could do much worse than one of the best players at the position in recent memory.
