As the Washington Commanders gear up for free agency, they've got a hefty $73.6 million in salary cap space to work with, ranking fifth in the NFL. This flexibility will expand further with the expected release of cornerback Marshon Lattimore. To create even more room, extending left tackle Laremy Tunsil is a strategic option on the table.
Washington's savvy cap management has been a hallmark of their operations, largely because they haven't yet had to commit to a franchise quarterback. However, that could change soon.
Jayden Daniels, entering his third NFL season in 2026, will be eligible for a contract extension next offseason. While his rookie deal and the likely fifth-year option keep him affordable through 2028, locking in a top-tier quarterback early is often the smarter play to avoid a Kirk Cousins-type scenario.
With the cap space available, now is the perfect time for Washington to bolster the roster around Daniels. After reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2024, the Commanders tried to maintain momentum in 2025 with key trades for Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, but those moves didn't pan out as hoped.
A key component of Washington's cap strategy has been minimizing dead cap hits. But what exactly is "dead cap"?
It's essentially a cap charge for players no longer on the roster, often resulting from guaranteed money already paid to players who are released, traded, or retired. If a player is moved before their contract ends, the remaining bonus money accelerates to the current cap.
In 2026, the Commanders are managing $12,592,736 in dead money. This includes $12.3 million for Deebo Samuel and $156,642 for linebacker Dominique Hampton.
Samuel's dead cap hit stems from a trade when Washington acquired him with one year left on his San Francisco 49ers extension. By guaranteeing Samuel $17 million and adding $3 million in incentives, Washington spread his cap hit over two years, but the contract voided, and the remainder hit the 2026 cap.
Void years have become a popular tactic in the NFL, notably utilized by teams like the Philadelphia Eagles.
Looking ahead, expect GM Adam Peters and senior VP of football operations Brandon Sosna to explore several multi-year deals this offseason. Sosna, who joined from Detroit, has experience in managing cap space to re-sign young stars to lucrative contracts. While not every deal pans out perfectly, the Commanders are poised to make strategic moves to strengthen their roster for the long haul.