The Commanders should re-sign these free agents this offseason

The Washington Commanders will certainly add new players through free agency and the draft, but the coaches and front office personnel should also put their focus on re-signing several of their own pending free agents.

There was a time when building an NFL roster was done almost exclusively through the yearly draft. Any given team that finished a season poorly, and with a weak lineup, knew that it would take several years to refurbish its roster with younger, talented players. Today, those same teams can rebuild a roster much quicker through free agency and the draft. The Washington Commanders will obviously focus more on the draft during this offseason, but free agency will not be ignored.

The first order of business for the Commanders in this offseason, other than hiring an offensive coordinator and new ownership, is to re-sign many of their key free agents. Several of these decisions will be difficult. Some players will return to the fold and others will sign with new teams. A few will either retire or come to the harsh realization that a career in the NFL is no longer a viable option.

Today, we will take a look at each of Commanders’ pending free agents and see which players should be re-signed. This list includes unrestricted free agents (UFA), restricted free agents (RFA), and exclusive rights free agents (EFRA).

Unrestricted Free Agents

• Wes Schweitzer, Offensive Guard/Center
  Schweitzer has been a valuable reserve since coming to Washington and signing him to a new one or two-year contract should be a priority. He finished the season on a high note and when healthy, he is a solid offensive lineman.

• Jon Bostic, Linebacker
  Jon Bostic was not re-signed during the 2022 offseason, but injuries this past season hastened his return. Bostic should consider retiring.
• Danny Johnson, Cornerback
  Johnson proved his worth in the second half of the season and he should be re-signed for depth purposes.
• Daron Payne, Defensive Tackle
  The Commanders should try to re-sign Payne after his best season thus far. At the very least, he should receive the franchise tag.
• Cole Holcomb, Linebacker
  The Commanders should bring Holcomb back on a four or five-year deal. He deserves it and has steadily improved since his rookie season.
• Trai Turner, Offensive Guard
  The offensive line is going to receive a lot of attention during this offseason. It would be a good idea to sign Turner to a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum, but nothing more.
• Cam Sims, Wide Receiver
  It is time to move on from Sims. He will provide you with that one special catch for the year, but wide receiver depth can be found elsewhere.
• Taylor Heinicke, Quarterback
  The “Heinicke Hive” on social media is alive and well. His play was magical at times and terrible at various critical moments. It is time to move on from Taylor Heinicke.
• Tyler Larsen, Center/Offensive Guard
  Larsen has been a solid depth addition on the line since coming to the Commanders. When he was placed on injured reserve late in the season, the change was noticeable (and it hurt the team). Signing him for another year or two should be a priority.
• Efe Obada, Defensive End
  Obada was a good signing last year and provided the team with quality rotational play on the defensive line. The front office should re-sign Obada if he is willing to take another one-year deal at the minimum.
• David Mayo, Linebacker
  David Mayo actually had some good moments in the latter half of the season, but it is time to move on from him.
• Jonathan Williams, Running Back
  He may not see a lot of action, but Jonathan Williams provides the Commanders with a viable option as the fourth running back. Bringing him back on a smallish contract would be a very good idea.
• Nate Gerry, Linebacker
  Nate Gerry was signed for depth and he did log some minutes here and there. Have a good life, Nate.
• Nick Martin, Center
  With the numerous injuries to centers in 2022, veteran Nick Martin was signed and he did see plenty of playing time. That was enough. Best wishes to you, Nick.
• Wes Martin, Offensive Guard
  Wes Martin spent some time on the active roster and practice squad. Good luck to you, Wes.