Adam Peters has a significant amount to get through this offseason. The Washington Commanders need to make drastic changes to the playing personnel, and every stone must be turned over in their quest to find the right improvements.
Head coach Dan Quinn set the tone by firing Joe Whitt Jr. and Kliff Kingsbury and replacing them with two new coordinators with no play-calling experience. It's a seismic shift, and Peters must follow suit by enhancing the starting options and bolstering depth before on-field preparations for the 2026 campaign gather pace.
Fortunately, the Commanders are in a financially profitable position entering free agency. Having money and spending it wisely are two very different things, but the urgency is obviously high for Peters after a five-win campaign when most thought another deep playoff run was in the offing.
Peters has finished his period of self-reflection about what went wrong. He'll have identified problem positions and potential targets. This is still an attractive destination with some accomplished pieces to build around. However, there needs to be a shift in approach, starting by finding younger, dynamic players rather than relying on aging veterans past their prime.
And things are now starting to ramp up. With this in mind, we graded the first major Commanders roster moves from the 2026 offseason.
Grading the first five Commanders roster moves in a franchise-defining offseason
Commanders re-signed Tress Way
General manager Adam Peters has some extremely tough choices to make this offseason. However, his first decision was a relatively straightforward exercise.
The Washington Commanders locked up Tress Way for another season, which will be his 13th with the club. The Pro Bowl punter is immensely popular behind the scenes, someone other players look up to for advice and leadership. He's part of the locker room fabric. More importantly, he's still performing at a high level.
Way's 47.3 yards per punt average was his highest since 2021. His 51.8 percent of punts landing inside the 20-yard line was the largest since 2018. The 43.9 net yards per punt is his best number in this statistical category since 2020. And he deservedly earned his second Pro Bowl distinction as a result of his efforts.
If Way wanted to keep on playing, this was a no-brainer move from the Commanders. When he outlined his desire to stick around, everything else was pretty easy to figure out.
- Roster Move Grade: A+
Just how much longer Way's career will go on is anyone's guess. But the Commanders will no doubt get the same consistent production from their special teams weapon in 2026.
Commanders re-signed Andrew Wylie
The Washington Commanders had the most pending free agents anywhere in the league. Fans are anticipating a roster revamp of epic proportions with plenty of spare cash to throw around. At the same time, not every established veteran would be disposed of.
Adam Peters made the simple decision to re-sign Pro Bowl punter Tress Way to get the offseason off to the best possible start. Though his decision to re-sign versatile offensive lineman Andrew Wylie to a two-year deal was more surprising, it also made a ton of sense.
Wylie spent his first two seasons in Washington as the starting right tackle. He didn't give you many sacks, but he struggled on an island. Being solid was not enough for general manager Adam Peters, who traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and drafted Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 29 overall to occupy the opposite edge spot.
The Eastern Michigan product wasn't on the bench for long, coming in after two games to fill in for Sam Cosmi at the right guard position. Wylie provided assurance and also finished the campaign well. Now, he'll be a swing option almost anywhere along the protection if injuries occur.
- Roster Move Grade: A
Wylie seems satisfied enough with these responsibilities at this stage of his career. Therefore, it's a win-win for all parties.
Commanders released Tyler Biadasz
The Commanders had so many unknowns attached to their offseason plans. However, fans took some solace in the offensive line being relatively stable, with four of the five projected starters under contract. This is always the preferred approach, maintaining continuity across the protection in front of star quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Then, everything changed. Fans were stunned when reports confirmed starting center Tyler Biadasz had been released with one year remaining on his deal. This came out of leftfield, especially considering some team beat reporters were hinting at a possible extension ahead of time.
Biadasz was highly dependable over his two seasons in Washington. He was an understated, consistent performer who developed a solid rapport with Daniels. His quiet leadership behind the scenes also made him a popular figure within the locker room, so it doesn't make much sense in the grand scheme of things.
Perhaps new offensive coordinator David Blough doesn't see a fit for Biadasz within his new blocking concepts. There will be more emphasis on zone-blocking, according to speculation. His input no doubt played a role in the decision, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
- Roster Move Grade: C-
What comes next is more important. But if it goes wrong, questions are going to be asked of the move to remove one starting-caliber option from the equation.
Commanders extended Nick Allegretti
The Washington Commanders obviously had a plan in mind when they released starting center Tyler Biadasz. As previously mentioned, it was an odd move, but general manager Adam Peters did what he thought was right to take the organization forward under new offensive coordinator David Blough.
Fans were eagerly awaiting further developments. They didn't take long to arrive. And, much like Biadasz's release, the next move drew plenty of raised eyebrows when reports surfaced.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Commanders reached a two-year extension with Nick Allegretti, who had one more year remaining on his deal. He was widely touted as a possible salary-cap candidate before Biadasz's departure. Instead, he got the biggest vote of confidence imaginable.
Allegretti struggled at both guard positions and spent most of last season on the fringes after being benched two games into the campaign. However, the two games filling in for Biadasz at the center spot down the stretch were enough for those in power to flip the script.
At the very least, Allegretti will get the chance to compete for the starting center job this summer. This new deal also gives the Commanders a versatile depth piece if he doesn't do enough.
- Roster Move Grade: B-
This is a massive gamble from the Commanders. They better be right.
Commanders cut Marshon Lattimore
The Commanders' bombshell trade for cornerback Marshon Lattimore signified their intent to contend much sooner than expected. Adam Peters sensed a real opportunity, and he struck with conviction to land what Washington hoped would be a legitimate shutdown presence on the boundary to get them over the hump.
It didn't work out. Lattimore struggled with injuries. Even with a full offseason to rest and fully acclimate to his new surroundings, he struggled to generate any positive momentum during the 2025 campaign. For the first time in his productive career, the former Ohio State star was actively targeted as a weak link.
Lattimore's woes were compounded by a torn ACL suffered in the team's dismal loss to the Seattle Seahawks. If that was the final nail in his proverbial Commanders' coffin, an offseason arrest on gun charges all but sealed his fate.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Commanders have informed Lattimore that he will be released before the start of the new league year. This is projected to save Washington $18.5 million on its salary cap, with no dead money ramifications, though that might change if there is an injury settlement. And everyone saw it coming.
- Roster Move Grade: A
This was the right, and the only, call. Peters was correct to make the trade at the time. Unfortunately, it didn't work out.