5 Commanders players lucky to escape Adam Peters' initial roster cull
By Dean Jones
Andrew Wylie - Commanders OT
Andrew Wylie was the marquee free-agent addition for the Washington Commanders in 2023. This didn't exactly wow fans, but it was the best those in power could do with the team's ownership in flux and not much spare cash to throw around.
Wylie was coming off a memorable Super Bowl performance against a stout Philadelphia Eagles defensive front. This played a significant role in the Kansas City Chiefs emerging victorious, which was enough for the Commanders to hand him a decent contract to reunite the player with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy in a different environment.
Big things were expected of Wylie, but he failed to meet these lofty expectations. He had some nice moments and was perhaps overly criticized on occasion. That said, the Commanders didn't make such a big financial commitment for anything less than stellar consistency he couldn't provide enough.
With a new regime and different ideas coming into the fold, Wylie faced an uncertain future this offseason. The Commanders showed they could be ruthless by releasing Nick Gates after just one season. Fortunately for the Eastern Michigan college product, those in power feel like he might be able to improve his production once other positions across the protection were upgraded.
This is subject to change depending on what occurs during the 2024 NFL Draft. Peters needs to find a franchise left tackle once a new rookie quarterback is chosen at No. 2 overall. It seems highly unlikely that Washington will roll with two inexperienced edge protectors, so Wylie might get the first chance to start on the right-hand side provided he impresses throughout the offseason.
Wylie is the fourth-highest-paid player on the Commanders with a $9.41 million salary cap hit in 2024. If he does get another opportunity to prove his worth - which seems likely at this juncture - he'll need to justify this level of pay grade and make things easier for Washington's new quarterback. Anything less will see his time with the franchise conclude in 2025.
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