If you’re curious as to what the Washington Commanders might pursue in the upcoming offseason, the answer is pretty wide-open — that’s because the franchise will have the type of assets available that make it so no move is off the table.
With a projected $103.6 million in salary cap space available in 2025 and 7 picks available in the 2025 NFL draft, the Commanders won’t look the same when they take the field next season. Not even close.
While that salary cap number might seem like an embarrassment of riches for a franchise already on the upswing, the Commanders still have room to create even more space when it comes to the quarterback position. Washington signed veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota to a 1-year, $6 million contract in March 2024 before they selected Daniels at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Mariota got that type of money with the understanding he would still compete for the starting job regardless of who the team selected in the first round.
While it wasn’t totally a surprise that Daniels easily beat out Mariota, what would be a surprise is the Commanders signing Mariota to another 1-year deal when they could easily draft a quarterback in the later rounds who would serve the same purpose.
The Commanders could also do so on a contract that’s worth equivalent to what Mariota got paid in 2024 spread across 4 seasons, which would free up another $4 million to $5 million in salary cap space in 2025.
Projecting Which QBs Could Be Best Fit for Commanders
If a quarterback does come off the board for the Commanders, it would likely be with one of their final 3 picks — one sixth round pick and two seventh round picks.
Ideally, Washington would want to bring in a player with a similar skill set to Daniels, who has the Commanders at 8-5 and holding fast to the seventh and final NFC playoff spot headed into a Week 15 road game against the New Orleans Saints.
One player who seems like they could be a perfect fit would be Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who was a 2-time All-MAC selection and the 2022 MAC Most Valuable Player at Ohio before transferring and leading the Hoosiers to a 10-1 record and the College Football Playoff in his first season as a starter.
Rourke, 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds, will turn 25 years old next October and has started over 44 games in college headed into the CFP with 10,144 career passing yards, 71 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 816 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He’s currently ranked as the No. 8 quarterback in the 2025 draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
Mariota May Have Increased Long-Term Value in 2024
Mariota’s future in the NFL might actually include a raise from the $6 million he’s making in 2024 because of how well he’s served as a backup to Daniels, including stepping to lead the team to a 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 7 after Daniels was hurt on the first offensive series of the game.
Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, could now transition into a phase of his career where he’s a mentor to first round quarterbacks. In PFF’s latest 2025 mock draft, the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets are all projected to take quarterbacks in the first 2 rounds.
