5 contracts holding the Washington Commanders back right now
By Dean Jones
Charles Leno Jr. - Commanders OT
- 2024 salary-cap hit: $15.53 million
As previously mentioned, it would be wise if general manager Adam Peters spent considerable resources on improving the offensive line. Sam Howell was the league's most-sacked quarterback in 2023. He spent most of the campaign running for his life. If the Washington Commanders are going to take a signal-caller at No. 2 overall, they must solidify their protection to give the chosen prospect a fighting chance.
What this means for those already around remains to be seen. Only Sam Cosmi should feel confident about starting next season. When 80 percent of your offensive line is under threat, that's a damning indictment of their ability to form a cohesive unit.
Charles Leno Jr. remains a core community presence in Washington. His leadership and character cannot be questioned. Unfortunately, he was another who saw production regress considerably in 2023.
Leno is credited with giving up just three sacks, but there were significant discipline issues. This resulted in 10 penalties - not exactly ideal for an established veteran who should know better. His $15.53 million cap number also brings some complications.
Much will depend on what reinforcements the Commanders can obtain via free agency and the draft. Finding premium blindside assistance can be difficult. If Peters finds the right guy, cutting Leno with a post-June 1 designation saves the franchise $11.78 million to better spend elsewhere.