The Washington Commanders were surprised to land edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson on a one-year deal. His breakout campaign with the New England Patriots led most experts to suggest that a longer-term commitment may arrive if the AFC champions opted not to keep him around.
As it turned out, Chaisson did get a lengthier offer. But he chose the Commanders anyway.
Chaisson's career looked down and out at one point. His time with the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't go well after being a first-round pick. He was cut by the Carolina Panthers without playing a snap. But after restoring confidence in Las Vegas, the former LSU standout took off with the Patriots last year.
K'Lavon Chaisson turned down a longer deal with the Saints to join Commanders
The Commanders wanted to see if this could become the start of a profitable prime for Chaisson. They got him on a one-year, $11 million deal that included a $7 million signing bonus and $10.3 million in guaranteed money. It's the biggest payday of his career by a considerable margin, but there were others also looking to secure his services.
Based on a recent YouTube vlog detailing his free-agent journey, Chaisson was filmed discussing his options. During the conversation, it was revealed that the New Orleans Saints had more long-term security on the table with a three-year contract. However, the allure of Washington and Jayden Damniels was too tempting to ignore.
Chaisson was willing to bet on himself. He believes Washington is in a position to contend, despite a down year in 2025. The edge rusher was less convinced about the Saints, who made strides as last season went on but are still a long way off from entering the Super Bowl picture.
Things may not have gone well for the Commanders last season, but they remain an attractive destination. Chaisson proved it, and several other useful additions to the ranks in free agency could also have gone elsewhere.
They didn't, which speaks volumes about the project being outlined by general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. Washington's power couple still believes great things are in their future. Last season was a blip, but the enhancements made to the coaching staff and playing personnel this offseason should get them on the right track.
If Chaisson meets his end of things, he'll be in an even stronger position during potential negotiations this time next year. Whether that'll be in Washington or elsewhere remains to be seen, but if he takes another leap forward, something in the $15-20 million a year range is more than feasible.
That's for the future. For now, Chaisson will do everything possible to ensure this big decision goes well.
And the Commanders will be on hand to give him everything he needs.
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