The Washington Commanders have finally reached their bye week at last. And as head coach Dan Quinn stated to the media after his team's dismal loss to the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, it's much needed.
Quinn revealed that everyone is depleted, and it's not just the players and coaches. That goes for fans, too. It's been an arduous, draining campaign that promised much but has fallen by the wayside. The Commanders are 3-8 when most were anticipating another postseason run. And it's not hard to see why attention is already turning to what promises to be a pivotal offseason for general manager Adam Peters.
Peters ran it back with the large majority of the squad that reached the NFC Championship game in 2024. He made two bold splashes in the trade market, but this was the NFL's oldest roster heading into the campaign. That blew up in the front-office leader's face, and although injuries haven't helped their cause, it's clear that massive changes are coming to the playing personnel.
The Commanders have more than 30 players out of contract next spring. They should have over $100 million in available salary-cap space, but there is a lot of hard work ahead. And with only six draft picks at Peters' disposal, not every problem will be solved.
With that being said, the fates of some players are already looking bleak. Here are seven Commanders who definitely won't be back in 2026.
Commanders players who definitely won't be back in 2026 at the bye week
Austin Ekeler - Commanders RB
The Washington Commanders were counting on running back Austin Ekeler to provide a stable veteran presence this season. Adam Peters saw enough in his younger backfield options to trade Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers before the deadline. Unfortunately, things took a concerning turn early on.
Ekeler went down in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers. The news was demoralizing, with the dual-threat weapon tearing his Achilles to rule him out for the rest of 2025.
The former Western Colorado standout isn't planning on retirement. Ekeler is working hard to get healthy again, and he's confident that this issue will make him even stronger. But with the veteran out of contract next spring, and the Commanders' need to get younger across the board, it seems unlikely that he'll get another deal in Washington.
Ekeler's presence has been sorely missed this season. But given his age, injuries, and concussion history, he'll probably get the green light to take his chances elsewhere.
Noah Brown - Commanders WR
The Washington Commanders gave Noah Brown a one-year deal to remain with the squad this offseason. This was a massive confidence boost for the wide receiver, especially considering his 2024 campaign ended abruptly with a serious internal injury that required kidney surgery.
Unfortunately, this was the start of a concerning trend for Brown. He was carted off during Washington's mandatory minicamp, which hindered his summer preparations. The former Ohio State star got back in time for Week 1, but he lasted just two games before getting hurt again.
The Commanders eventually put Brown on injured reserve when his recovery didn't go as expected. He's slowly progressing, and there is a chance that he can feature at some stage after the bye week. However, this would be a good time for Washington to go in a different direction.
Brown is a good player, but the best ability is availability in the NFL.
Nick Allegretti - Commanders OL
Washington thought that Nick Allegretti could become a long-term starter. The Commanders gave him a three-year deal after starring for the Kansas City Chiefs during their 2023 run to another Super Bowl. It hasn't gone as anyone hoped.
Allegretti struggled to find the consistency needed in his first season as the team's starting left guard. He looked set to go back into a rotational/backup role this season after Washington traded for Laremy Tunsil, moving Brandon Coleman to left guard. But the Commanders thought that he could shine on the right-hand side of the interior until Sam Cosmi came back from injured reserve.
Much like his first season, Allegretti struggled right out of the gate. The Commanders benched him after two games, and he's been seldom seen on the offensive rotation since. The Illinois product still has one year remaining on his deal, but Adam Peters should end this experiment ahead of time.
Bobby Wagner - Commanders LB
There is no doubt about Bobby Wagner's credentials. He is a future first ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker with 14-straight seasons with more than 1000 tackles. He was an integral force in Washington's culture shift last season, but the cracks are beginning to show this time around.
Wagner remains a force in between the tackles. He's a solid run defender who can still be effective on blitzes. Even so, the former Utah State prospect is becoming a glaring weak link in other areas that opposing teams are exploiting with alarming frequency this season.
The second-level presence has never been significant in coverage, but age is catching up to him. When Wagner gets isolated, he's prone to giving up explosive plays. This is magnified more than ever by the failings of others.
Although Wagner hasn't confirmed one way or another whether he'll walk away from the game this offseason, the Commanders need to find a younger, more dynamic linebacker to replace him.
Marshon Lattimore - Commanders CB
Trading for cornerback Marshon Lattimore signified that the Washington Commanders were ready to contend. Adam Peters knew there was an opportunity, and he struck with conviction to secure the services of a potentially shutdown coverage presence to help them reach new heights.
Lattimore never shook off a hamstring injury after the trade. He tried valiantly to fight through the pain, but the athletic traits weren't there. Still, with a full offseason to recuperate and acclimate to the defensive scheme, hopes were high for better fortunes in 2025.
The four-time Pro Bowler out of Ohio State suffered similar frailties. Lattimore got burned by faster wide receivers downfield, and his technical flaws led to multiple defensive pass interference penalties in key moments. Just when it seemed like the tide might be turning, he suffered a torn ACL.
Adam Petters won't like it, but the $18.5 million in savings with no dead cap ramifications by releasing Lattimore before the final year of his deal are too tempting to ignore.
Von Miller - Commanders OLB
Fans were deeply concerned about Adam Peters' lack of attention to the team's pass-rushing options during the offseason. The general manager was confident enough in the options available, and signing Von Miller shortly before the campaign began was the icing on his cake.
Miller is a first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer when he leaves the game. He's not getting any younger, but the Commanders were confident he could help as a rotational pass-rusher when the situation called for it. Thanks to the countless injuries to influential personnel, Washington needed more.
Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Deatrich Wise Jr. — the team's starting defensive end tandem — both suffered season-ending injuries. That's allowed opposing defenses to key on Miller, and he doesn't have the dynamism to counteract it effectively enough in his twilight.
The Super Bowl 50 MVP recently revealed that he wants to continue playing, ideally on the Commanders. But the reality should be a lot different.
Andrew Wylie - Commanders OL
The Commanders identified Andrew Wylie as someone capable of being a long-term starter in Washington. He followed Eric Bieniemy to the franchise in 2023, immediately becoming the starting right guard. The veteran didn't give up many sacks, but the inconsistency on an island was there for all to see.
Wylie kept his spot in 2024, but the same complications emerged. Adam Peters had seen enough, spending the No. 29 overall selection in the draft on Josh Conerly Jr. to form a bookend tackle tandem with Laremy Tunsil.
This relegated Wylie to a backup role, but it wasn't long before he was thrust into the spotlight again. He came in at the right guard spot when Nick Allegretti struggled, adding a much-needed sense of stability to the place at a critical time. But when Sam Cosmi got the all-clear to return, he went back to the fringes.
Wylie probably wants the chance to start at this stage of his career. And the Commanders don't want to be shelling out big money for veteran backups when there are so many other needs elsewhere.