How much cap space can Commanders save by restructuring contracts?

The Washington Commanders have just over $30 million in cap space to spend this offseason. On paper, that seems like a lot, but acquiring a non-rookie quarterback would see that sum trimmed by at least $10 million, if not more.

With glaring needs at linebacker, safety and wide receiver, the front office looking to add depth at other positions and money, however little, needed to sign draft picks, the team doesn’t have as big of a spending budget as you think.

Several teams in the NFL are faced with a similar conundrum, and most fans will point to cutting expendable players as a viable solution.

We’re all for that idea, but what if the Commanders could manufacture more cap space without enforcing any potential cap casualties?

You’d take that option in a heartbeat, right? Us, too.

According to OverTheCap, the Commanders could free up $30 million (!) off their 2020 cap number by restructuring some contracts.

The Commanders can save $30 million against the cap by restructuring some players’ contracts.

With free agency just around the corner, teams around the NFL, like the Packers, are being proactive on the restructure front. On Wednesday, Green Bay freed up $10.8 million against the cap by tweaking Kenny Clark’s contract.

Washington should mirror this strategy and tinker with the contract of their own star defensive tackle, Jonathan Allen. Per OverTheCap, a “simple restructure” (compared to the “maximum” alternative) would save the team $9 million.

The same can be said for Landon Collins, whose $9 million in potential restructure savings would actually be more than what the Commanders would salvage ($6.482 million) by flat-out cutting him this offseason.

If Collins was still a full-time safety, this wouldn’t even be a conversation. Even though injuries and his limitations in coverage remain a concern, the impact he made as a Buffalo nickel suggests Washington should give serious thought to restructuring his deal to lower his team-high $16.082 million cap hit for 2022.

In addition to Allen and Collins, Ereck Flowers is a prime restructure candidate. The 27-year-old guard was arguably the team’s best offensive lineman this past season, so cutting him to save $9.99 million is out of the question.

With that said, extensions are a popular approach throughout the NFL when it comes to lowering players’ cap hits. When it comes to Flowers, giving him an extra one or two years could rescue up to $6 million in cap savings.

Throw Kendall Fuller into the mix, though his $11.125 million cap hit for 2022 is hardly unbearable and the team would preserve an extra $3 million.

All of a sudden, Washington has an extra $27 million to throw around. That would give them more than enough wiggle room to add a veteran quarterback, sign a No. 2 receiver, find an upgrade at safety, round out the roster with depth additions at running back and cornerback AND sign their 2022 draft class.

We’re not expecting the Commanders to restructure all of these contracts, but players should be open to it given it doesn’t require them to take a pay cut. In most cases, restructures actually help players receive more money up front rather than waiting to collect it in accordance with the original terms of their deal.

If executed correctly, teams and players both come out happy, so this is something for Washington to chew over with free agency just weeks away.