Although the Washington Commanders are in control of the seventh playoff seed in the NFC following their narrow success over the New Orleans Saints, it's not a done deal just yet. Whether head coach Dan Quinn's squad makes the postseason or not could have big implications on the team's plans in 2025.
General manager Adam Peters will already have a shortlist of potential additions in place. This is going to change depending on which players become available. There's also the pre-draft assessment process to get through with seven selections at Washington's disposal.
Peters has some decisions to make regarding the current roster. Some are out of contract while others could be deemed surplus to requirements ahead of time. The new front office leader won't hesitate if he believes it can help the organization. Those potentially impacted are running out of time to prove their worth with just three games remaining.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders playing themselves off the team in 2025. We'll start with much-maligned right tackle Andrew Wylie.
Commanders playing themselves off the team in 2025
Andrew Wylie - Commanders OT
According to Pro Football Focus, offensive tackle Andrew Wylie has yet to give up a sack this season. That doesn't tell the full story.
Wylie's 22 pressures allowed ranks 98th among qualifying edge protectors. His 65.3 pass-blocking grade is 66th out of 134 offensive tackles around the league. Couple this with his indifferent run blocking, and it's not hard to see why Adam Peters should seek alternatives during the offseason.
The former Eastern Michigan standout has one year remaining on his deal with no guaranteed money attached. Cutting Wylie ahead of time saves the Commanders $7.75 million and comes with $2.66 million in dead-cap. Unless the Super Bowl winner raises performance levels in the coming weeks, this represents a likely scenario.
One could make a strong case for Washington's offensive line being more productive when Cornelius Lucas is manning the right-hand side. Regardless, the Commanders need a long-term solution to this growing concern.