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The Washington Commanders enter free agency with 24 players hitting the market. That does not include the release of defensive tackle Jonathan Allen nor re-signings such as Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz. Trading for Deebo Samuel is another category.
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Commanders agree to re-sign Bobby Wagner to 1-year deal
Additional moves may occur before the league’s legal tampering period begins Monday or when official signings kick off Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. We’ll be here to document the comings and goings.
March 10
Commanders agree to terms with DT Javon Kinlaw
Washington has agreed to terms with Kinlaw, a team source confirmed to The Athletic. According to ESPN, it’s a three-year, $45 million deal with $30 million guaranteed.
Kinlaw, the 14th selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, played his first four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers with Washington general manager Adam Peters in the front office. He joined the New York Jets in 2024.
Injuries, including a torn ACL, limited him to 41 games — 28 starts — with the 49ers. Kinlaw, who spent part of his childhood in the Washington area, did play 17 games in a reserve role with the Jets. He played 61 percent of New York’s defensive snaps and registered a career-high 4 1/2 sacks.
Washington needed options behind projected starters Daron Payne and Johnny Newton. More big bodies are required to fill out the rotation. Free agents Sheldon Day and Jalyn Holmes could be re-signed.
Commanders agree to re-sign punter Tress Way to 1-year deal
There are no-brainer transactions, then there are no-brainer transactions. Re-signing Way, Washington’s longest-tenured player, is the latter.
Way, 35 in April, agreed to a one-year contract, team sources confirmed to The Athletic. He averaged 46.9 yards on 50 punts last season, his 11th with Washington. The offense’s high efficiency kept Way off the field for games at a time, but he still contributed as a flawless holder amid a constant revolving door of place kickers.
There was seemingly no reason to think the fan favorite and highly popular teammate would sign elsewhere. Now we know that’s the case before the free-agency legal tampering period opens at noon Monday.
March 9
Commanders agree to re-sign TE John Bates to 3-year extension
Washington is keeping its tight end room together.
The NFC runner-up is re-signing Bates to a three-year extension, according to multiple sources. It comes one day after Ertz re-upped for one year. Financial terms were not made available.
Bates, 27, is the definition of a low-key but important contributor. He only caught eight passes last season but made his mark as a forceful blocker. The three years is an indicator of the perceived interest in the 2021 fourth-round pick should he have hit the market.
Ben Sinnott, a 2024 second-round pick, rounds out the main pieces of the tight end room. He remains promising but didn’t necessarily show enough as a rookie to take on a larger role.
March 8
Commanders agree to re-sign Zach Ertz to 1-year deal
The veteran tight end is returning to the Commanders on a one-year, $6.25 million deal, league sources said. Ertz can earn up to $9.5 million with incentives, according to the sources.
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Zach Ertz returning to Commanders on 1-year, $6.25 million deal
In 2024, Ertz had his healthiest season in years while playing all 17 regular-season games and recording 66 receptions for 654 yards and seven touchdowns. His success continued into the Commanders’ stunning playoff run, during which he logged 18 catches for 155 yards and one touchdown.
March 7
Commanders release DT Jonathan Allen
The Commanders announced Friday that they are releasing the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle. The move, which frees up $16.5 million in cap space for Washington, comes after the team failed to find a trade partner for the 30-year-old veteran.
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Commanders release two-time Pro Bowl DT Jonathan Allen
Drafted 17th overall in 2017, Allen is one of the last remaining pieces from the old Commanders regime. After an injury-shortened rookie campaign, he started all 96 regular-season games for Washington from 2018 to 2023. Allen was also willing to convert from defensive end to defensive tackle midway through his rookie contract.
March 6
Bobby Wagner agrees to one-year deal to return to Washington
Ultimately, Wagner’s intangibles outweighed finding a younger replacement. Injuries limited promising fifth-round linebacker Jordan Magee last season. History says Wagner will play every game, compile another 100-tackle season and remain a positive presence in the building and the stadium on game days.
Not going anywhere 😤@Bwagz is BACK pic.twitter.com/tZoi25BRuo
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 7, 2025
Commanders agree to re-sign kicker Zane Gonzalez
The Commanders got on the re-signing scoreboard by retaining Gonzalez. The team announced on Thursday that he would return following a successful postseason, making 7 of 8 field goals in three games. He also made 5 of 7 field goals and all 19 extra point attempts in six regular-season games as one of four kickers used following the summer release of Brandon McManus.
Gonzalez received a one-year deal for $1.17 million, per a league source. He gained additional attention when his OCD became a national story in the playoffs, but he also earned trust from the staff and teammates. Expect some form of competition ahead of the 2025 season, whether from Austin Seibert (27-of-30 in 2024) or another kicker.
March 1
Commanders acquire WR Deebo Samuel from 49ers for fifth-rounder
General manager Adam Peters couldn’t wait for free agency before making a transactional splash. Trading for Samuel wasn’t a surprise regarding the target. Peters was in San Francisco when the 49ers selected the physical playmaker in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The mystery is what version of Samuel is coming to town.
The 2021 and 2023 iterations are the dream. Samuel’s competitive streak and yards-after-the-catch prowess helped carry the 49ers’ offense at times. The 2022 and especially the 2024 Samuel helps explain why San Francisco was willing to trade the receiver for a fifth-round pick and take on a massive salary-cap charge.
Last season’s 8.7 yards per touch was the lowest of his six-year career, and his 806 yards from scrimmage represented a career low among the five seasons he played at least 13 games. Still, the trade compensation, including a $17.5 million cap hit, is low risk with significant upside if Washington gets an in-shape and focused Samuel. The skill set fit in the up-tempo offense is sublime, and the Commanders needed more playmaking beyond quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
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Commanders GM Adam Peters takes risk-reward path in Deebo Samuel trade
In his goodbye message to 49ers fans and the organization published in The Players’ Tribune, Samuel also enthusiastically turned the page toward his new home. He credited former teammate Brandon Aiyuk with hyping up Daniels in college.
“We off to a new start now. D.C., we coming,” he wrote. “I think this is one of the best possible fits for me, where I can go in and help a team. Honestly, when my agent asked me where I wanted to go, this was one of the teams at the top of my list. I started watching Jayden because of Aiyuk, that’s like his best friend. We used to chill, watch LSU games, and I knew he was going to be a stud. I’ve got some connections already with the coaching staff. Definitely ready to work with Terry for sure, because we came in the league at the same time. I’ve heard how hard he grinds. I’m just ready to match the energy and get to it. S—, I got a feeling this season is about to be one of them ones.”
(Photo of Bobby Wagner: Timothy Nwachukwu / Getty Images)