All eyes are on the Washington Commanders.
After a shockingly successful 2024 season that saw them reach the NFC Championship game, the Commanders' turnaround has happened sooner rather than later, and they will look to keep their momentum going as they hurdle towards the 2025 offseason.
With Super Bowl aspirations on their minds for the first time in what feels like forever, the Commanders' front office and coaching staff will have their hands full in reconstructing their roster that currently has an abundance of free agents that either need to be retained or let go to improve in the areas they lacked this season.
There is bound to be turnover in the NFL, but the Commanders will be entering this offseason in one of the best positions as they have the third-highest salary cap with just over $80 million at their disposal. With so much money to spend, the biggest question concerning the Commanders' salary cap this offseason, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN, is, "Should the Commanders spend big this offseason to maximize Jayden Daniels' rookie deal?"
"Yeah, this is the time to strike. Only the Patriots and Raiders currently project to have more cap space this offseason than Washington (roughly $78 million). That's not to say the Commanders should spend willy-nilly, but trying to maximize the quarterback's rookie deal is absolutely the way to go," wrote Graziano. "They need to continue to work on the offensive line, particularly to the extent that it helps them establish a more reliable run game. And they could use another playmaking wide receiver."
I couldn't agree more with Graziano's sentiment here. The Commanders should be big-time spenders this offseason, but they don't need to break the bank to put together an improved roster from a year ago. Looking at what Washington struggled with last year, it was undoubtedly important to look at improving the offensive line that struggled mightily in the run game and could also use some help to keep Jayden Daniels in the pocket a bit longer to fully go through his reads.
Another playmaker on the outside also would go a long way in helping Daniels elevate his level of play as the team relied heavily on veteran Terry McLaurin last year, specifically when it came to scoring touchdowns. While the offense is what most people will pay attention to, Graziano continued by stating the obvious need for help on the defense while touching on the fact that the Commanders will need to keep that winning culture alive that has brought them to this point.
"But the Commanders already have stars on offense and could really stand to add a big contributor or two on defense," Graziano noted. "They were wise last year to bring in seasoned Super Bowl-winning veterans like Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz on one-year deals to help them establish the culture. Do they bring those guys back, or do they look for younger, more long-term options in free agency at the positions some of those veterans played last year?"
Graziano seems to have hit all the major points for what the Commanders should do this offseason, but it will be up to them on whether or not they follow through to maximize the window they have with Jayden Daniels under center. Washington is coming, and the rest of the league better be on notice. If they can have a successful offseason by bringing in talent that they haven't had in quite some time, then the Commanders will be a force to be reckoned with in 2025 as they look to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1992.
