Adam Peters is making his way through roster decisions before the NFL's legal tampering window opens. The dominoes have already started to fall around the league, with salary-cap casualties, contract extensions, and even a few bombshell trades taking the limelight before the busiest time of year.
The Commanders acquired Deebo Samuel Sr. for a fifth-round selection. They extended Bobby Wagner, which was richly deserved after a significant contribution on and off the field in 2024. Peters also cut two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen after failing to find a trade partner, saving $16.47 million on their cap along the way.
More moves are coming. The Commanders only have 46 players under contract with $80.75 million in available salary-cap space. No stone will be left unturned by Peters, who knows Washington's window for contention is open and will be aggressive to ensure Dan Quinn has the tools needed to make another deep playoff run in 2025.
Those plans could include some who were deemed surplus to requirements elsewhere. Teams are frantically trying to put themselves in a better financial position before free agency. Good players have already been cut for salary-cap purposes. That won't go unnoticed by Peters as part of another roster regeneration in the coming weeks.
With this in mind, here are five salary-cap sacrifices the Commanders could potentially acquire in 2025.
Salary cap casualties Commanders should consider signing in 2025
Commanders could sign Tyler Lockett
The Seattle Seahawks are currently undertaking an offensive reset. They've made prolific wide receiver D.K. Metcalf available for trade, although the asking price needs to come down before a move becomes realistic. That wasn't the case with veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who was shipped to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round selection.
Seattle also released Tyler Lockett after a decade-long stint with the franchise. His production dipped in 2024 and he's 32 years old, but this could be an intriguing rotational piece for the Washington Commanders to go alongside the wideout options they currently possess.
The Commanders have Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Luke McCaffrey under contract. There's a growing sense Noah Brown will be re-signed to provide a big-bodied presence. That's unlikely to be the case with Dyami Brown, who could get decent money elsewhere after much-improved performances down the stretch.
Lockett would be nothing more than a short-term option. He represents another savvy route-runner capable of giving Jayden Daniels some easy-throwing windows. If the pass-catcher is willing to accept a low offer to join a contending team, it's something to consider.