4 Commanders who don’t deserve another season in 2022

1. Landon Collins

Commanders fans are torn as to whether Collins deserves another season with the franchise, and you know what? We hear both sides.

On one hand, it’s exciting to think about the number of splash plays he could manufacture playing closer to the line of scrimmage. The $84 million safety looked like a player reborn after the coaching staff moved him out of a full-time safety role and into a box linebacker, or the Buffalo nickel.

Between blowing up running plays, flying sideline to sideline and wreaking havoc in opponent’s backfields, Collins looked the part as an off-ball LB.

On the other hand, Collins has yet to play a full season over his three years in Washington and his $16.082 million cap hit for 2022 is the highest on the team. He’s just one year removed from Achilles surgery and a foot injury, the details of which are still unknown, cost him the final three games of 2021.

You also have to consider that teams go out of their way to target Collins in coverage. For everything he contributed as a run defender, his grotesque 38.8 coverage grade from PFF ranked 92nd (!) out of 93 qualified safeties last year.

If his contract wasn’t such an albatross, we’d be open to the idea of him returning for a fourth season. However, keeping Collins would take snaps away from Jamin Davis, who’ll need as many opportunities as he can get as a weakside LB after he failed to transition to the MLB role as a rookie.

The fact Washington could save $6.4 million by cutting Collins should make the decision that much easier. Regardless of whether he’s back in the Burgundy and Gold, though, he clearly hasn’t earned another shot.

That might not end up mattering, however. On Monday, Ben Standig of The Athletic reported Washington is aiming to restructure Collins’ contract. A maximum restructure would save the Commanders’ $9 million, whereas a simple restructure would salvage roughly $6.9 million, per Over the Cap.

We’ll see if the former All-Pro cooperates. If he doesn’t, you have to think the subsequent move would be him getting released.