3 free-agent wide receivers the Commanders could sign (and 3 to avoid)

Which free-agent wide receivers could the Washington Commanders still sign in 2024 and which ones should those in power avoid?

There is still one high-end wide receiver available to any team to sign, and a second even better player who may be available. The first is Mike Williams, who was released by the Los Angeles Chargers in a salary cap move a few weeks ago. The second is Tee Higgins, currently a Cincinnati Bengal under the franchise tag. He has requested a trade.

Every team in the league would like to have a proven big, speedy deep threat like Williams or Higgins, but I don’t believe Adam Peters and the Washington Commanders will make a serious run at either. Though they do have the salary cap space necessary to afford their hefty price tags, the general manager has made it very clear that he prefers to use free agency to fill gaps in his roster, while looking for his star players through the draft.

This is a simple matter of economics. Premium players in their first four or five seasons are much better bargains than those working under their second contracts.

The situation might be different if Washington had a stockpile of talented young receivers still early in their careers. But they do not. Terry McLaurin is already commanding a high salary, so adding either Williams or Higgins would mean a very high percentage of the Commanders' salary cap being devoted to one position. This is projected to be a deep draft for wide receivers and Washington should take advantage of that on the second day.

Even if they do, and even if they are feeling good about Jahan Dotson as he enters his third season, Washington still needs receiving help. The failure to develop mid-level draft picks like Anthony Gandy-Golden and Dyami Brown in recent years has left the cupboard bare.

Jamison Crowder and Dax Milne are the only other players with any experience, and neither can be counted on to play a major role in 2024. There are a lot of young projects, from Mitchell Tinsley to Kazmeir Allen, Brycen Tremayne to Davion Davis. Perhaps one or two can emerge this offseason, but it is a long shot.

Peters does have some options still available through free agency. Here are three players he should could consider signing, and three to avoid.

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