Ben Sinnott - Commanders TE
- Dead money: $519,173
- Cap savings: $1.78 million
It's now or never for Ben Sinnott. There are no major financial ramifications for the Washington Commanders if he's released early, but there will come a time when general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn will consider giving up on this experiment.
Sinnott remains an unknown quantity two years into his professional career. Most fans were expecting him to get a strong run as a featured option when Zach Ertz tore his ACL, but it didn't happen. Kliff Kingsbury clearly didn't think he was good enough, and new offensive coordinator David Blough acknowledged the No. 53 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft has a long way to go before confidence increases.
The Commanders weren't going to wait around. Peters signed Chig Okonkwo in free agency to become the No. 1 pass-catching option. John Bates is among the league's best blocking tight ends, leaving Sinnott as the No. 3 option unless there is a meteoric surge forward.
Perhaps moving Sinnott to a more H-back role in Blough's scheme could be beneficial. He's flashed more as a blocker than a pass-catcher since joining the Commanders. It's not why Washington spent a second-round pick on him, but adapting to turn the tide may not be the worst idea at this stage.
If Sinnott cannot respond accordingly, that might be enough for Peters to pull the plug.
Javon Kinlaw - Commanders DL
- Dead money: $9.9 million
- Cap savings: $7 million
While it's only been one season, Javon Kinlaw's contract is arguably the worst Adam Peters has given out since becoming general manager. Nobody thought it was a good idea at the time, and his underwhelming first campaign in Washington did nothing to diminish these concerns.
Most thought Kinlaw would get a prove-it deal somewhere after struggling to make an impression with the New York Jets. Peters had other ideas, raising eyebrows across the league by giving the defensive lineman a three-year, $45 million deal with $30 million guaranteed. After one season, that looks like a grave error in judgment.
Kinlaw was a brash talker who rarely backed it up on game days. He failed to register a single sack during the season. Despite having the physical tools, the South Carolina product hasn't put it together consistently enough in the pros as yet.
His contract made it impossible to move Kinlaw this offseason. And even with another poor campaign, the Commanders would need to eat significant dead money in 2027.
All hope is not lost with Kinlaw. Daronte Jones is expected to switch Washington's base defensive front to a 3-4 system. The 2020 first-round pick will likely operate as a 3-4 end, which could be better suited to his skill set. Even so, any further failings will not be tolerated.