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 a conference championship contender. 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. We'll start by looking at offensive skill players.
-- WR Brandin Cooks: Cooks was sidelined for seven games with an injury and is in the later stages of his career at 31 years old, but he has a history of being productive throughout his 11 NFL seasons. In 2023, he scored eight receiving touchdowns -- his highest total since 2016.
-- RB Cam Akers: The Commanders aren't in serious need at running back with Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler under contract, although they could address the bottom of the depth chart at some point. Akers, who last played for the Vikings, had a promising finish to the season with six rushes for 65 yards.
-- WR Chris Godwin: Although he missed most of last season with an injury, Godwin is considered to be one of the best receivers on this year's market. Prior to 2024, he had three straight 1,000-yard seasons and had 10 touchdowns in that span.
-- TE John Bates: Bates has reliable hands but is known more as a blocker than a pass-catcher. He received a pass-blocking grade of at least 70 from Pro Football Focus in nine games last season and had a 79 for the entire 2023 season.
-- WR Dyami Brown: A third-round pick by Washington from the 2021 draft, Brown hit career highs in receptions (30) and yards (308). Brown also played a role in the Commanders advancing to the NFC Championship with 14 receptions for 229 yards and a touchdown.
-- RB Jeremy McNichols: McNichols had the best season of his career in his one season with the Commanders with 261 yards and four touchdowns on 55 carries. McNichols was a serviceable third option for Washington's offense and had to fill both Robinson and Ekeler's roles at times. He'll turn 30 during the 2025 season but proved he can still be a reliable ball carrier.
-- WR Darius Slayton: Slayton has been one of the New York Giants' best weapons since he was drafted 171st overall in 2019. He has recorded at least 700 yards in four of his six seasons. He also had some of his better games against Washington, including six receptions for 90 yards when the teams tied 20-20 in 2022.
-- TE Zach Ertz: Ertz was one of the first players signed by Washington's new regime because of his overall production and experience with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. He showed that he still has something left in the tank at 34 years old by finishing second on the team in receiving yards and targets.
-- RB Rico Dowdle: Dowdle hit his first 1,000-yard season in 2024 as the Dallas Cowboys' main option at running back with 235 carries. He's a large, physical presence in the run game but also can be useful as a pass-catcher, as he had a combined 393 receiving yards in 2023 and 2024.
-- TE Mike Gesicki: Gesicki went back to being one of the league's better pass-catching tight ends during his one season with the Cincinnati Bengals, as he caught 65 passes for 665 yards and two touchdowns. Gesicki knows how to win against man coverage and could be worth exploring for a team looking to get their tight ends more involved.
