The Washington Commanders are slowly working out contract extensions for the free agents they want to keep before the legal tampering window arrives.
Pro Bowl punter Tress Way was first, which was a no-brainer. Versatile offensive lineman Andrew Wylie's two-year deal was a little more surprising, but it makes sense to bolster the team's offensive line depth.
And Wylie's new contract means it might be time for one established veteran to pack his bags.
Wylie spent two seasons as the starting right tackle with mixed success. He was much-maligned and struggled on an island. He was also an unfair scapegoat, but that didn't stop the Commanders from drafting 2025 first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr.
The two-time Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs spent most of last season on the interior. Wylie was dependable. He's capable of playing almost anywhere along the protection when injuries strike. That was valued more highly by the Commanders than sections of the fan base, which was reflected in a two-year, $7.5 million deal that could be worth up to $10.5 million with incentives.
Commanders have freedom to cut Nick Allegretti after Andrew Wylie's deal
That won't be good news for everybody. And Wylie's contract extension doesn't exactly bode well for Nick Allegretti's chances of seeing out his contract with the club.
Allkegretti, like Wylie, is versatile. His production when filling in for Tyler Biadasz at the center position was arguably his best in a Washington uniform so far. He's not done nearly as well at either guard position, which makes it hard to justify the $7.17 million cap commitment coming his way in 2026.
The Commanders have enough salary-cap space to absorb Allegretti's contract without jeopardizing their hopes to fortify other areas. At the same time, general manager Adam Peters could probably find similar or better options for a lot cheaper.
Cutting Allegretti would save the Commanders $3.64 million, with $3.53 million in dead money. The savings would increase to $6 million with a post-June 1 designation. What Peters needs to figure out is whether Washington can fill the void with Wylie or another primary understudy across all five positions.
Time will tell on that one. Allegretti is a solid pro and a hard worker who's respected in the locker room. His time in Washington hasn't gone quite according to plan, but keeping him around as an expensive backup option couldn't be dismissed entirely.
Wylie can do what Allegretti does, only better. Teams need more than one viable backup offensive lineman. But the money attached to the Illinois product makes it a tough sell to keep around.
And re-upping Wylie gives the Commanders all the reasons in the world to cut ties with Allegretti in advance.