After another encouraging campaign of fighting through adversity to become an important part of the team's offensive plans, the Washington Commanders didn't tender an offer to Chris Rodriguez Jr. Thanks to these raised performance levels, he wasn't out of work for long.
Rodriguez signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He got a $4 million signing bonus and $6.2 million in guaranteed money, which is pretty decent for a sixth-round pick who is on an upward curve when hope was fading once upon a time.
The Commanders felt they could get better for cheaper, signing Rachaad White and Jerome Ford in free agency. Rodriguez will look to make a considerable impression with the Jaguars, who lost Travis Etienne Jr. to the New Orleans Saints in free agency, and head coach Dan Quinn believes he is going to be a tremendous success.
When asked about Rodriguez during his media availability at the annual league meeting, Quinn couldn't have been more complimentary. He praised the Kentucky product's influence in the locker room. He also outlined his dependability in critical moments as something the Jaguars can rely on.
“No. 1, it won’t show up on the stat sheet, but he is absolutely a fantastic teammate and one who connects others to go. The physicality is the thing that jumps (out) about Chris. (He has) the ability to make tackles, the ability to get critical yards and is definitely a player who is trusted in the critical moments (like) short-yardage and four-minute situations. Those are just a few of the things (the Jaguars) will rely on him (for).”
Quinn wasn't going to say anything less. But his comments may have indicated that letting Rodriguez walk was a business decision.
The Commanders could have offered a similar contract to keep Rodriguez around if they wished. They could have offered him a restricted free agent tender. Peters and Quinn chose not to, and the Jaguars were only too happy to oblige.
This is eerily similar to the situation involving wide receiver Dyami Brown last year. He signed a fully guaranteed $10 million deal with the Jaguars after flashing down the stretch and into the postseason. He couldn't build on this momentum and is now back in Washington. Rodriguez will be aiming to avoid a similar fate, and he's got far better production to raise confidence.
Rodriguez worked exceptionally hard to remain relevant. He's always produced when his number is called, and fans were clamoring to see more of the player when Jacory Croskey-Merritt hit his inevitable rookie wall. The 2023 sixth-rounder may never be a game-changing force, but he's not going to be a weak link either.
That's all the Jaguars are looking for. And if the Commanders don't get similar or better performance levels from Rodriguez's replacements, questions will be asked about why Washington didn't do more to retain him.