The Washington Commanders have continued the massive roster overhaul begun by Adam Peters when he took over as general manager in 2024. It's also been a busy start to recruitment for the team's fierce division rivals within the NFC East.
Three of the scant remaining draft picks from the Ron Rivera era — Dyami Brown, Benjamin St-Juste, and Darrick Forrest — signed with new teams. Long-time linemen Jonathan Allen and Cornelius Lucas have also taken their chances elsewhere.
Most of Peters’ free-agent activity has been reserved for re-signing many of the role players who contributed last year. He made just one major acquisition thus far. Javon Kinlaw arrived after spending 2024 with the New York Jets to provide the Commanders with a younger, bigger replacement for Allen.
Peters saved his biggest moves for the trade market, where he bolstered the offense by acquiring wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil — players with six Pro Bowl appearances between them. They should make Kliff Kingsbury’s offense more dynamic in 2025.
While Peters has been developing his squad, the rest of the NFC East has also been busy. Howie Roseman, Jerry Jones, and Joe Schoen each entered the offseason with a unique set of challenges.
Roseman, typical of general managers with successful squads, recognized that some of his talent would no doubt be poached by other teams. He needed to prioritize which of his pending free agents he wanted to retain. Jones and Schoen both needed to beef up their talent-depleted rosters. The Dallas Cowboys faced salary caps issues, while the New York Giants needed help at virtually every position, including quarterback.
Let’s take a brief look at where each of the Commanders' division rivals stand in the early stages of the 2025 offseason.
Stacking the Commanders' offseason compared to NFC East rivals
Dallas Cowboys
Added: Dante Fowler Jr., Solomon Thomas, Robert Jones, Javonte Williams, Payton Turner, Miles Sanders, Jack Sanborn, Parris Campbell.
Re-signed: Trent Seig, Israel Mukuamu, Dakoda Shepley.
Lost: DeMarcus Lawrence, Jourdan Lewis, Chauncey Golston, Cooper Rush, Chuma Eduga, Rico Dowdle.
Dallas averted disaster by re-signing sought-after defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa shortly before free agency. They still lost significant defensive players in DeMarcus Lawrence, Jourdan Lewis, and Chauncey Golston. Payton Turner and Solomon Thomas will attempt to fill in the holes, and edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. returns to the Cowboys after a year in Washington.
Backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who started much of 2024 in relief of the injured Dak Prescott, is gone. So is leading rusher Rico Dowdle.
The Cowboys effectively swapped running backs with the Carolina Panthers, bringing in Miles Sanders to share the backfield with Javonte Williams. Both have been very good in the past and neither is particularly old. But they haven't impressed of late.
Most of the Cowboys' moves have been at the margins for limited performers like Parris Campbell and Robert Jones, or backups and role players. With several massive contracts still on the books — Prescott alone carries a cap hit of over $50 million in 2025 — Jones still seems unwilling to spend the money necessary to bring in real difference-makers.
New York Giants
Added: Paulson Adebo, Jevon Holland, Chauncey Golston, James Hudson, Roy Robertson-Harris, Chris Board, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Stone Forsythe, Victor Dimukeje, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.
Re-signed: Darius Slayton, Austin Stinnie, Greg Van Roten, Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
Lost: Azeez Ojulari, Jason Pinnock, Adoree’ Jackson, Patrick Johnson.
The Giants re-signed quarterback Tommy DeVito before free agency. Until they make more moves at the position, he is penciled in as their starter. As you might expect from a team that stumbled to a 3-14 record last year, they have brought in a lot of new players and lost very few to other teams.
Even so, they lost a better player in developing edge rusher Azeez Ojulari than any of the free agents brought in. The Giants are hoping that Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland can help solidify the secondary and that Golston can help the pass rush. Almost all of their other moves, both on offense and defense, have been for marginal players who have never produced beyond the backup level.
The single best move they have made thus far has been to re-sign deep-threat wide receiver Darius Slayton. Now they just need to figure out who will be throwing him the ball.
Philadelphia Eagles
Added: Azeez Ojulari, Harrison Bryant, Joshua Uche, Charley Hughlett, Kylen Granson, Avery Williams, A.J. Dillon, Adoree’ Jackson, Patrick Johnson.
Re-Signed: Lane Johnson, Ben VanSumeren.
Lost: Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Mekhi Becton, Darius Slay, Oren Burks, Kenneth Gainwell, Isaiah Rogers.
As expected, the Eagles lost several key members of their Super Bowl-winning squad, including starters Josh Sweat, Mekhi Becton, and Darius Slay. However, they also proved why Roseman is playing chess while most other general managers are stuck in Chutes and Ladders.
He proactively re-signed breakout linebacker Zack Baun and extended offensive line anchor Lane Johnson. Earlier, he extended All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley. Roseman made a couple of trades that added two fifth-round draft picks as well as a developmental quarterback (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) and offensive lineman Kenyon Green.
Green was a major disappointment with the Houston Texans, but he is still just 24 years old and has a huge potential upside. He is the exact type of player the Eagles routinely resurrect, and he could step right into the gaping hole left by Becton.
On top of that, Roseman allowed edge rusher Josh Sweat to leave while bringing in Ojulari, who seems primed to replace him at a lower cost. And he has bruising runner A.J. Dillon on hand to relieve some of the pressure on both Barkley and Jalen Hurts in short-yardage situations.
This is how good the Eagles' roster is: the richest contract signed by any free agent thus far in 2025 was by Milton Williams. He will be missed, but with defensive tackles Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo (none over 25 years old) still on board, he might not be missed very much.
Overall, it looks as is the Cowboys and Giants are still plodding along hoping for a miracle or two while the Eagles remain the clear alpha in the East.
Philadelphia is still the team the Commanders need to overcome.
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