Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters placed an emphasis on younger players with athleticism over the first wave of free agency. After how things unfolded for the NFL's oldest roster in 2025, this was desperately needed.
Most of the 12 new arrivals have their best years ahead of them. The large majority are just coming off their rookie contracts, hungry to maximize their prime years on an ambitious team that could bounce back quickly in 2026 if everything comes together. More importantly, the Commanders still have $64.51 million in available salary-cap space to make additional moves.
It went relatively under the radar compared to most, but the Commanders' decision to bring Nick Cross into the fold is intriguing.
Commanders could get getting a bargain with Nick Cross' contract structure
The hard-hitting safety brings a tone-setting mindset that was sorely lacking last season. There are some concerns about his consistency in coverage, but the 2022 third-round pick out of Maryland represents an upgrade on anything Washington currently has on the back end of Daronte Jones' defense.
And once the contract details were released, the move looked even better.
Cross's two-year deal comes with just $6.05 million in guarantees. The guaranteed salary is $3.05 million, and it all comes next season. His prorated signing bonus costs $1.5 million in 2026 and 2027. Everything else must be earned. That makes the defensive back a cost-effective signing by the Commanders, and there should be enough urgency to hit specific targets to get even more money.
If Cross hits his markers, the cap hits of $5.25 million (2026) and $7.75 million (2027) could be a shrewd investment by Peters. And if the fiery safety takes Washington by storm in his first campaign with the club, a much larger financial commitment could be agreed upon ahead of time next spring.
That's for the future. For now, the Bowie native and DeMatha Catholic High School star will look to make the most of his homecoming, adding an injection of energy, instinctiveness, and aggression to a safety unit that fell way short of expectations last season. More help could be on the way, but Cross could be a magnificent addition if he hits the ground running.
What this means for the futures of Will Harris, Quan Martin, Percy Butler, and Tyler Owens is anyone's guess. This quartet either didn't get enough time on the field or couldn't find the consistency needed to make any legitimate impression. The stakes have been raised, and Cross did not come to sit on the sidelines.
Even though other signings came with more fanfare, this could be Washington's biggest steal in free agency when it's all said and done.