The bye week offers a break from the action. It’s an opportunity to objectively analyze the team without a knee-jerk reaction to the most recent game on Sunday. But it can also be a chance to move up the draft board without moving a muscle. The Washington Commanders sit alone at 4-9 after the Bears (5-8), Titans (5-8), Giants (5-8), and Jets (5-8) all miraculously won in Week 14. As the focus continues to shift toward the future, this hiatus is a perfect time to take a look at Washington’s salary cap situation and financial outlook.
Commanders Salary Cap Breakdown
Flush with Cash
Washington will be an enticing destination for general manager and head coaching candidates this offseason for a variety of reasons. The team has a new ownership group, a promising young quarterback, and a likely top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Perhaps the most impactful and least discussed reason, however, is the liquidity of assets that an incoming GM will have at his disposal.
The current NFL salary cap for every team is $224.5 million and is estimated to jump (as it does every year) to around $240 million in 2024. As it stands, the Commanders have the 3rd-most cap space in the league this season, sitting more than $15 million under the threshold in 2023. When the league year ends on March 13th at 4 pm EST, the Commanders will lose 18 players to unrestricted free agency.
Fortunately, Washington will have the most salary cap space in the entire NFL this offseason. They currently have 41 players under contract for the 2024 season and $86.4 million with which to fill out the roster. The new front office will have the opportunity to build the team without any semblance of financial restrictions.
Free Agency
Washington’s league-leading 2024 cap space is likely to increase further as the new front office sheds some bad contracts. Six of the team’s seven largest cap hits are attached to players who are at least 28 years old. For a rebuilding franchise, releasing a player like Logan Thomas, among others, could make a lot of sense. His base salary is $8.3 million next season but it would cost only $1.75mil to cut him and move forward with younger, cheaper options at tight end.
Of the 18 unrestricted free agents, the four most interesting are Kamren Curl, Kendall Fuller, Curtis Samuel, and Antonio Gibson. Spotrac estimates that Curl ($15.4mil), Fuller ($14.1mil), and Samuel ($11.5mil) will be seeking eight figures annually on their new deals. Of the three, the 24-year-old Curl is most likely to re-sign at that price. Fuller and Samuel are solid players but don’t deserve CB11 and WR24 money at their respective positions. Gibson’s projected annual market value ($3.6mil) would rank 23rd among running backs, too steep of a price for his replaceable role.
Draft Capital
The current #4 overall pick steals all the headlines, but the Washington Commanders have nine total picks with six selections in the first 104. Through high-quality volume alone, they’ll have the ability to address needs without intentionally drafting for need. They acquired the current #42 overall pick from the Bears for Montez Sweat and the #100 overall pick from the 49ers for Chase Young. The team also holds its selections in all seven rounds.
Here’s an early tease at the kind of roster overhaul that could happen in just the first four rounds, via Pro Football Network.
4. Olu Fashanu, OT Penn State
36. Xavier Legette, WR South Carolina
42. Quinyon Mitchell, CB Toledo
68. Cedrick Gray, LB North Carolina
100. Darius Robinson, EDGE Missouri
104. Cade Stover, TE Ohio State
Main Photo: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
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