Adam Peters is getting ready to embark on his second offseason as general manager. The Washington Commanders are in great hands with the respected front-office figure. If he can find the right recruits via the draft and spend wisely in free agency, this franchise could be among the challengers in Year 2 of his comprehensive rebuild.
Peters is a shrewd talent evaluator. He's adopted a tremendous culture within the football operation, focusing on collaboration and professionalism. He's always keeping the bigger picture in mind but isn't afraid to be aggressive when opportunities arise.
The Commanders are ahead of schedule with eight wins so far and a postseason spot in sight. More importantly, perceptions are changing around the league. Players are also reportedly telling their agents to get them a move to Washington according to respected NFL insider Adam Schefter.
This is a strong position to be in. Peters also has some tough choices to make with current playing personnel. Some are out of contract. Others are in danger of being let go ahead of time.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players who could be potential cut candidates in 2025 at the bye week.
All financial figures are courtesy of Over the Cap.
Commanders cut candidates in 2025 at the bye week
Jonathan Allen - Commanders DT
- 2025 salary-cap savings: $17 million
- 2025 dead-cap figure: $6 million
Jonathan Allen is the first name that comes up when discussing potential cut candidates. The Washington Commanders defensive tackle was an outstanding force at the peak of his powers and remains an inspirational leader within the locker room. His production has dipped significantly over the last two seasons.
Allen's ability against the run is waning. Couple this with a torn bicep that ruled him out for the entire campaign, and it's not hard to see why his time in Washington might be coming to an end.
The Commanders have Daron Payne and Johnny Newton, who could be an impactful interior tandem. There are also the financial implications of cutting Allen to factor into the equation.
Washington would save $17 million by removing Allen ahead of time with a $6 million dead-cap figure. Perhaps general manager Adam Peters would be better off looking for a trade partner in this scenario, but teams might be reluctant to part ways with draft capital on an aging player coming off a serious injury.
It'll be interesting to see how the Commanders handle this situation. They could easily keep him around. But it could go the other way when push comes to shove.