Through two weeks of NFL free agency, the Washington Commanders have added and retained more players than they’ve lost. Washington retained defensive tackle Daron Payne on a four-year deal while signing outside free agents such as Nick Gates, Andrew Wylie, Cody Barton and Jacoby Brissett.
Some of the players Washington has lost over the last two weeks are Taylor Heinicke, Cole Holcomb, Cam Sims and Wes Schweitzer.
Which player was Washington’s biggest free-agent loss?
According to Pro Football Focus, it’s Holcomb.
Holcomb unfortunately missed the second half of the 2022 season following a procedure on his foot, but he was in the midst of earning a career-high 66.6 overall grade and a 67.0 coverage grade. Through Week 7, Holcomb’s 20 defensive stops were a top-20 mark among linebackers, and his 10.5% forced incompletion rate was in the top 15.
Washington obviously has a ton invested in its front seven, but Holcomb’s loss won’t go unnoticed.
PFF’s grade of Holcomb tells you everything. While Holcomb did continue to improve, you weren’t shelling out big dollars to retain him. He signed a three-year deal with Pittsburgh worth up to $18 million.
Washington’s linebackers have struggled in coverage, although Jamin Davis took a big step forward last season.
It remains to be seen if Barton provides an upgrade over Holcomb. The former third-round pick from the same draft class as Holcomb had his best season in 2022. It was the first time in his career as a full-time starter.