Adam Peters is a ruthless roster builder. He gutted two-thirds of the Washington Commanders' playing personnel during his first offseason. Expect the same approach this time around.
Peters wasn't a big fan of the moves made by Ron Rivera over his four-year tenure. None of his first-round picks are on the books. Very few of his draft selections overall remain. This was a drastic approach — one the front-office leader believed could help kickstart Washington's exciting rebuild.
He was right. The Commanders went on a miraculous run throughout the 2024 campaign. Under head coach Dan Quinn, they won 12 regular-season games. This was followed by two playoff triumphs on the road before falling short to the eventual Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game.
Washington accomplished more than any fan dreamed of. It wasn't quite enough to get over the hump, so Peters has plenty of food for thought entering his second recruitment period.
The Commanders are well-positioned to improve the roster. Peters will have a good idea of what more is needed and who isn't going to be part of the plans moving forward. That could be free agents. It could also be those still under contract.
Adam Peters is a ruthless roster builder. He gutted two-thirds of the Washington Commanders' playing personnel during his first offseason. Expect the same approach this time around.
Peters wasn't a big fan of the moves made by Ron Rivera over his four-year tenure. None of his first-round picks are on the books. Very few of his draft selections overall remain. This was a drastic approach — one the front-office leader believed could help kickstart Washington's exciting rebuild.
He was right. The Commanders went on a miraculous run throughout the 2024 campaign. Under head coach Dan Quinn, they won 12 regular-season games. This was followed by two playoff triumphs on the road before falling short to the eventual Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game.
Washington accomplished more than any fan dreamed of. It wasn't quite enough to get over the hump, so Peters has plenty of food for thought entering his second recruitment period.
The Commanders are well-positioned to improve the roster. Peters will have a good idea of what more is needed and who isn't going to be part of the plans moving forward. That could be free agents. It could also be those still under contract.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players who could be potential salary-cap cut candidates in 2025. We'll begin with safety Percy Butler.
All financial figures come via Over the Cap.
Possible Commanders' salary-cap cut casualties in 2025
Percy Butler - Commanders S
- 2025 salary-cap savings: $3.32 million
- Dead cap money: $197,255
The Washington Commanders got decent production from their safety tandem of Quan Martin and Jeremy Chinn in 2024. They had the physicality and athleticism tailor-made for the defensive scheme implemented by Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. Unfortunately for Percy Butler, this saw his influence when.
Butler's snaps on the defensive rotation plummeted as expected. He went from 82 percent of reps in 2023 to just 37% this season. The defensive back did become more impactful on special teams, increasing his usage in this area to 63% of snaps and making a solid contribution overall.
The Commanders should work out a contract extension with Chinn if the money works for all parties. Martin demonstrated enough progress to suggest this can become a long-term partnership. What happens below them on the depth chart remains to be seen, but Adam Peters is not one to sit on his hands in pursuit of upgrades.
If the Commanders acquire new additions to the safety room via free agency or the draft, a situation could emerge where Butler is cut to save $3.32 million on the team's 2025 salary cap. However, the flashes on special teams might be enough to see out the final year of his deal.
Chris Paul - Commanders OL
- 2025 salary-cap savings: $1.1 million
- Dead cap money: $26,112
If the Philadelphia Eagles' dominant season en route to a convincing Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City City Chiefs taught us anything, it's the importance of building up the trenches.
Eagles' general manager Howie Roseman fortified the offensive and defensive lines. He molded his roster from the inside out. They overawed almost everybody to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Adam Peters should take note. The Washington Commanders were found wanting in these areas, especially during their NFC Championship defeat to the Eagles. Not having Sam Cosmi and Daron Payne available exposed their lack of depth. Expect the general manager to address this urgently throughout the offseason.
Cosmi is set to miss most if not all of the 2025 campaign after tearing his ACL in Washington's divisional-round success at the Detroit Lions. That raises the stakes to bolster the offensive line. Something that could keep Chris Paul on the fringes or off the roster entirely when push comes to shove.
Paul made the 53-man roster in 2024 but was a healthy scratch more often than not. If the Commanders find better alternatives in free agency or the draft, the former seventh-round pick will become surplus to requirements.
This isn't a cost-cutting measure. It's more a case of Paul not fitting into the team's plans when new acquisitions inevitably arrive.
Andrew Wylie - Commanders OT
- 2025 salary-cap savings: $7.75 million
- Dead cap money: $2.66 million
Chris Paul isn't the only one who could be on the outside looking in where the Commanders' offensive line is concerned. Adam Peters must also examine possibilities to enhance the edge options at his disposal to provide quarterback Jayden Daniels with the protection needed.
Third-round pick Brandon Coleman performed adequately as a rookie. The left tackle went through some inevitable growing pains, but speculation is rising about whether the former TCU standout should be switched to the interior. Time will tell on that, but it couldn't be completely dismissed right now.
There's also Andrew Wylie's situation to consider. That's a bit more complicated.
The veteran right tackle didn't give up a sack this season according to Pro Football Focus, but that doesn't tell the full story. His inconsistent performances in pass protection and inability to impact proceedings on running plays were a constant source of frustration. This leaves his future hanging in the balance heading into the final year of his contract.
Releasing Wylie saves the Commanders around $7.75 million on their 2025 salary cap. That's not exactly chump change, so it'll be interesting to see what Peters decides. But make no mistake, if the front-office leader can find a better option — perhaps for a little cheaper — he won't hesitate to pull the trigger
Austin Ekeler - Commanders RB
- 2025 salary-cap savings: $3.46 million
- Dead cap money: $1.5 million
The Washington Commanders need to rethink their plans for the running back position. It was an impressive start to the campaign for this unit, but things tailed off down the stretch and in the postseason.
Brian Robinson Jr. fought through injuries but lost some explosiveness as a grueling campaign began to take its toll. It would be surprising if he didn't get another go-around, although a contract extension ahead of time isn't in his immediate future.
The Commanders also have Austin Ekeler under contract in 2025. He was one of several veteran additions to the ranks during Adam Peters' first offseason, providing a dependable pass-catching outlet for Jayden Daniels out of the backfield en route to 733 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns during the regular season. Even so, there are other factors to consider before deciding on his future.
Ekeler is an asset, there's no getting away from that. However, he's also dealt with severe concussion issues. His crucial fumble in the NFC Championship game also left a sour taste in the mouth.
The former undrafted free agent earned second-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner, so it would be a shock if he wasn't retained. But this is almost entirely dependent on how the Commanders approach running back recruitment this offseason.
Jonathan Allen - Commanders DT
- 2025 salary-cap savings: $16.46 million
- Dead cap money: $6 million
The Commanders have a complex conundrum on their hands with Jonathan Allen. What general manager Adam Peters decides comes with significant ramifications attached.
Allen's leadership cannot be questioned. He's an alpha and supreme motivator. Unfortunately for the two-time Pro Bowler, his on-field performances have regressed over the last two years.
The explosiveness and brute power to cause havoc have deserted Allen. He can still rise to the occasion — as demonstrated by his outstanding postseason effort versus the Detroit Lions — but consistency is a major issue these days. That gives the Commanders a big decision to make entering the final year of his deal.
Daron Payne and Johnny Newton will remain on the books. Allen's future is less certain, especially given the obvious need to bolster the trenches on both sides of the football. Peters might explore trade opportunities in pursuit of getting something back in return. It wouldn't be a robust market, but one or two clubs should get involved.
Teams will also know that the chances of releasing Allen increase if a willing trade partner cannot be found. This comes with eye-catching savings of $16.46 million with $6 million in dead money. It also allows the former first-round pick out of Alabama to pick his next destination.
