As we get deeper into the offseason, aside from the NFL Draft, many teams are mostly settled and not looking to make drastic changes. Yet, the Washington Commanders, who missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, could still have a few significant moves to make.
Aside from shoring up the offensive line while swapping both Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke for Jacoby Brissett, the Commanders haven’t done much to alter their roster this offseason. Head coach Ron Rivera remains in place, and they do hold the 16th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but there could be another way the Commanders shake up their roster.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Washington may be willing to part with one of their star defensive linemen this offseason in an effort to cut costs while stacking talent elsewhere.
With defensive tackles Daron Payne (four years, $90 million) and Jonathan Allen (four years, ($72 million) already receiving large extensions, and former first-round pick defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young also up for new contracts, parting with any one of them could make sense.
In Sweat’s case, he’s already set to play under the fifth-year contract option in 2023 ($11.5M), placing him in the final year of his contract. Meanwhile, the Commanders still need to decide whether they want to pick up Young’s fifth-year option for 2024 ($17.4M) as well.
Breer notes that, to his knowledge, the Commanders have not shopped any of the aforementioned players, but based on seeing how much money the team could soon have invested in just their defensive line, a trade can’t be ruled out if the right offer comes along.
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