3 free agents the Commanders could extend on the cheap in 2023
By Dean Jones
Which pending free agents could the Washington Commanders extend on the cheap to prevent them from leaving the organization in 2023?
The free-agent frenzy is a chance for fans to get excited about potential incomings that can improve the team’s fortunes. Something the Washington Commanders are in a good position to attain considering how much salary-cap space they can make available in the coming weeks.
This is also an uncertain time for players looking for new deals with their current employers or elsewhere. The Commanders have 18 early restricted, unrestricted, or restricted free agents this spring, so it’ll be interesting to see which players stay or are allowed to move on when the time comes.
Keeping the likes of Daron Payne around won’t be cheap. Others could perhaps be retained on team-friendly deals that allow Washington to strengthen other problem position groups.
With this in mind, here are three free agents that the Commanders could potentially extend on the cheap this offseason.
Player No. 1
David Mayo – Commanders LB
The Washington Commanders could keep David Mayo around in 2023 providing a cheap deal gets worked out. He is a trusted player of Ron Rivera’s stemming from their time together on the Carolina Panthers and although his time on the defensive rotation was limited, the former fifth-round pick became a core special teams player.
This is a valuable commodity to have for those on the fringes. Something that could mean Mayo gets a short-term extension to continue his career in Washington.