Adam Peters should realize by now just how much work there is ahead of him this offseason. The general manager pushed all his chips into the middle after the Washington Commanders reached the NFC Championship game in Year 1 of this ambitious project. He was correct to do so, but the returns haven't been favorable.
The Commanders look old, slow, and uninspired. That's a poor combination, and even though the injury issues haven't helped their case, this excuse can only last for so long. Attention has already turned to what comes next, and the decisions Peters makes in the coming months will shape the organization's future for better or worse.
Washington only has six selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, which isn't ideal. They have the most pending free agents of any club, and their roster is the NFL's oldest right now. Fortunately, the Commanders are projected to have more than $81 available salary-cap space as things stand, with only 34 players under contract.
Peters has his work cut out. The Commanders aren't going to solve every issue, but the time for half-measures is over. Aggressiveness and planning for the future are crucial, but make no mistake; his margin for error is shrinking.
The more money Peters has, the better. With this in mind, here are five early offseason moves that can unlock an extra $64.5 million in 2026.
All financial figures providedby Over the Cap.
Early offseason Commanders cap moves that could unlock $64.5 million
Commanders cut Nick Allegretti
- Dead money: $3.53 million
- Cap savings: $3.64 million
The Washington Commanders were expecting Nick Allegretti to become their long-term starter at the left guard position. His starring effort for the Kansas City Chiefs deep into the playoffs in 2023 played a leading role in their Super Bowl success. That was enough for general manager Adam Peters to hand him a decent contract in free agency.
Allegretti hasn't met expectations. His first season was littered with inconsistent production, which was masked by quarterback Jayden Daniels as the Commanders made the final four. He lost his left guard starting spot but won the right guard role in the summer, filling in for the injured Sam Cosmi. The Illinois product lasted two games before he was benched, and he's barely seen the field since.
There is almost no chance Allegretti is back next season. He's an expensive backup, costing more than $7 million against the salary cap. The Commanders would need to eat some dead money, but the savings involved make this scenario almost a foregone conclusion.