ASHBURN, Va. — The hangover from the 2025 season is real. After the exhilarating NFC Championship run of ’24, watching the Washington Commanders plummet to a 5-12 record last season was a sobering reality check. The defense disintegrated, Jayden Daniels took too many hits, and the “veteran gamble” that defined General Manager Adam Peters’ strategy backfired spectacularly.
But here is the silver lining: Peters didn’t mortgage the future. Even after the disappointment, Washington sits on a goldmine.
According to Over the Cap, the Commanders hold $74.55 million in cap space right now—the fifth-highest figure in the league. With the NFL salary cap spiking higher than anticipated, Peters has the ammunition to aggressively retool this roster. But “good” financial health isn’t enough when you need a total defensive overhaul and weapons for Daniels. You need “dominant” financial health.
Peters can push that number north of $125 million with a few decisive strokes of the pen. The first one is obvious, painful, and absolutely necessary.
The Move: Cut Nick Allegretti
Savings: $3.64 million
Dead Money: $3.53 million
New Salary Cap Space: $78.19 million
Continuity is king on the offensive line. If the Commanders re-sign left guard Chris Paul—a 2022 seventh-rounder who played out of his mind in the final year of his rookie deal—they bring back all five starters for the 2026 campaign. That stability is critical for Daniels’ development.
But continuity doesn’t mean keeping expensive insurance policies. That is exactly what Nick Allegretti has become.
Allegretti was a savvy signing in 2024, a Super Bowl winner bringing championship DNA to a young locker room. But 2025 exposed the cracks. He lost his starting left guard spot early in the season and, frankly, never recovered. When he was pressed into service at center following Tyler Biadasz’s injury, the results were shaky at best. The versatility is nice on paper; the production on the field didn’t match the price tag.
Entering the final year of his deal, Allegretti carries a cap hit north of $7 million. That is starter money for a guy who might not dress on game days if everyone is healthy. In a league where efficiency is everything, paying a backup guard that kind of cash is malpractice.
“It’s the ugliest part of the business. You look around the room and know that some of these guys, guys you went to war with, won’t be here when OTAs start. But we all know the score. If you aren’t producing, the rent comes due.”
— Anonymous Commanders Veteran, following the Week 18 finale
The Financial Ripple Effect
Cutting Allegretti isn’t just about saving $3.64 million. It’s about reallocating resources to where they actually matter. That money pays for a rotational pass rusher, a special teams ace, or a chunk of Chris Paul’s extension.
With Brandon Coleman proving he can slide inside if needed, and Paul establishing himself as a legitimate starter, the interior depth chart has evolved. Peters needs to trust his draft picks and stop paying a premium for past performance. The 2025 season proved that relying on aging vets to patch holes is a losing strategy. It’s time to get younger, cheaper, and hungrier on the bench.
This is just the first domino. If Peters is willing to make the tough calls, Washington won’t just be a participant in free agency next month—they will be the ones setting the market.
