This isn’t the kind of recognition any team wants right before the NFL season starts.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Fowler placed three members of the Washington Commanders on his NFL All-Overpaid Team — a collection of the “worst investments” in the NFL — with offensive tackle Andrew Wylie, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.
“As the 2024 NFL season looms, the anticipation builds for those eager to see their teams in action,” Fowler wrote. “Alongside the excitement, however, comes a dose of harsh reality: Some players, despite their hefty contracts, may not live up to the financial expectations set upon them.”
The Commanders are doing a full franchiser reboot in 2024 with a new general manager in Adam Peters, new head coach in Dan Quinn and a new quarterback in No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels.
Allen, Forbes Question Marks for Commanders
Allen and Forbes both head into 2024 as question marks for the Commanders.
For Allen, it’s because of his contract (4 years, $72 million) and the fact Washington drafted an interior defensive lineman in 2024 with Jer’Zhan Newton and has another highly-paid interior defensive lineman with Daron Payne (4 years, $90 million).
Something’s gotta give.
“With a new regime in town with zero ties to the selection or extension of the 29-year-old, Washington could both idealize the future of Payne and Newton while exploring new avenues for Allen if his play isn’t up to snuff,” Fowler wrote.
For Forbes, it’s the lingering distaste from a disastrous rookie season in 2023.
The Commanders made him the No. 16 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft and he bottomed out several times as a rookie. Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown torched Forbes for 9 receptions, 175 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 4 and the rookie seemingly never recovered. That dismantling got bad enough that Brown landed a $10,927 fine for taunting Forbes at one point during the game.
Forbes was benched multiple times during the season but will get a new start with Quinn — one of the NFL’s most well-known defensive coordinators over the last decade.
“For Emmanuel Forbes, year two in Washington could be a make-or-break campaign,” Fowler wrote. “Following an abysmal rookie year in which coaching did the 23-year-old—a Cover 3 corner in college—no favors in aligning in man early in 2023, he could play himself out of a roster spot before his career really started in Washington.”
Wylie Struggled Mightily in 2023 at Right Tackle
Wylie was a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs and came to the Commanders in 2023 on a 3-year, $24 million contract.
In 2023, Wylie started 15 games and was one of the big reasons that Washington quarterback Sam Howell led the NFL in sacks taken. Wylie gave up 9 sacks — the fourth-most of any right tackle in the NFL, according to PFF. He also gave up 47 QB pressures and 23 QB hits. The key to Wylie’s sustained success in Washington moving forward will be keeping defensive players off Daniels.
“Wylie will enter 2024 with a short leash under a new regime that has zero ties with his signing, and more importantly, the job of keeping QB Jayden Daniels’ arm-side clean,” Fowler wrote.
