The Washington Commanders went from an afterthought to among the league's leading contenders in the blink of an eye. That put general manager Adam Peters in a strong position heading into his second recruitment period at the helm.
Peters had a lot going for him this spring. The Commanders boasted plenty of salary cap space and draft picks to spend as they wished. They were also an attractive destination in a big market for the first time in decades. That brought an extra sense of expectancy from the fanbase to capitalize on this significant opportunity.
There were a few bold acquisitions, but these mostly came in the trade market. Peters made one big splash in free agency. Aside from that, he re-signed the large majority of his free agents and brought veteran players looking to contend into the franchise on short-term deals.
This strategy proved effective in 2024. Running it back comes with some risk, but Peters wasn't particularly impressed with this year's free-agent crop. And after achieving so much in such a short timeframe, his decisions should be trusted until further notice.
With that being said, here are five Commanders players on the hot seat after a frantic start to 2025 free agency.
Commanders players on the hot seat after 2025 free agency
Ben Sinnott - Commanders TE
The Washington Commanders have high hopes for Ben Sinnott. He was a second-round pick in 2024 and holds long-term potential as a complete package at the tight-end position. But after extremely limited involvement as a rookie, how long it'll take to reach this goal is undetermined.
Sinnott will have familiarity around him after Zach Ertz and John Bates both penned new deals. Washington is running it back with the same trio, which helps keep continuity and retains contingencies if progress is slower than expected from the Kansas State product.
Ertz will be the go-to passing game option after galvanizing his career. Bates got decent money to prevent the blocking specialist from taking his chances elsewhere. Sinnott's skill set lies somewhere in the middle, so it'll be interesting to see what role he can carve out for himself with another year of development under the same coaches.
The Commanders hedged their bets, which is in keeping with Adam Peters' mindset. He leaves nothing to chance. If Sinnott takes a significant surge forward, great. But the front-office leader won't be caught short-handed at any position group.
What comes next is down to Sinnott. Flashing when called upon was fine in Year 1. That might not be the case this time around.