There isn't an NFL team that is as intriguing entering the offseason and free agency as the Washington Commanders.
Armed with serious cap space to go free agency shopping with (also to re-sign current players), the Commanders have been urged by every person on the planet to load up and go again.
Why? To take advantage of Jayden Daniels being paid peanuts on his rookie deal. With the Commanders showing last offseason their liking for shrewd deals in free agency, for ESPN's Dan Graziano, now is the time to double down and do it again.
"Yeah, this is the time to strike," Graziano writes. "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. 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."
We know that general manager Adam Peters won't be throwing the cash around, but there are needs and funds available to fix them.
What might get lost on some from last year is that despite Daniels' superb season, he was sacked 47 times (sixth-most), and for a quarterback who has a slender frame as he does, that is an accident waiting to happen.
So, the offensive line is a key area, and so is getting a running mate for Terry McLaurin. Both can be achieved this offseason if the Commanders find the right guys.
But make no mistake about it—this isn't a time to truly penny-pinch; it's a time to strike while the iron is hot.
