3 Washington Commanders free agent targets to reach another level in 2025

The Washington Commanders had a season very few expected them to have. They went from having the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, to reaching the NFC Championship Game in one year. The best part about that run is they know exactly what they need for another deep playoff run next season. 

The Commanders have over $78 million to work with in cap space so they could instantly improve their roster and continue to be one of the top teams in the NFC. According to NFL.com, they have quite a few contracts to consider. 

Outside of Terry McLaurin, the Commanders have to figure out their wide receiver room. On top of that, defensive backs Benjamin St.-Juste and Noah Igbinoghene are free agents as well. 

The Commanders can be really aggressive. There’s more than enough players that can help them contend with the Philadelphia Eagles. Here’s some names the Commanders should be interested in this free agency. 

3. CB Byron Murphy, Jr.

The Commanders biggest problem was their secondary. They went after Marshon Lattimore at the trade deadline in hopes of getting a true No. 1 corner. That didn’t work out as Lattimore was more of a liability than a lockdown defender. 

Enter Byron Murphy Jr. He had the most interceptions for a cornerback this season with six. While the Minnesota Vikings will most likely bring Murphy back, the Commanders can throw a competitive offer as well. 

They’d be foolish not too thanks to how productive Murphy was this year. According to Pro Football Focus ($), he ranked 33rd among corners with an overall grade of 72.8. He ranked 36th amongst corners with a 72.6 coverage grade. 

The Commanders will be addressing their receivers, but they can’t neglect their defensive backs either. Hopefully, Lattimore has a better season next year. With him and possibly Murphy together, it could be a solid cornerback room next season. 

They already have Mike Sainristil who had a solid rookie season. Bringing in another veteran or two in the secondary could be key to bolstering their pass defense. They’ll probably bring back Igbinoghene, which would help as well. 

Washington has enough cap space to fill out all their needs without overspending. Thanks to having a quarterback on a rookie contract, they have the freedom to be aggressive, but smart.

2. LB Dre Greenlaw

Bobby Wagner is aging and may or may not play next year. He was a great anchor for the Commanders this past season. If they want to take that next step to becoming a force in the NFC, getting Dre Greenlaw should be a priority as well. 

Greenlaw could be the perfect player to bring to this defense. According to Athlon Sports, Greenlaw would be interested in exploring the free agency market. He’s coming off an Achilles injury that sidelined him for most of the 2025 season. 

He could be cheaper because of that. And according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, Greenlaw could be interested in “running his own shop”. He could do just that in Washington.

The Commanders need a younger linebacker and Greenlaw could be that. The good thing is he can also bring some veteran leadership to the roster, which the Commanders need as well. Greenlaw was a great complement to Fred Warner in San Francisco.

Greenlaw is another player who has the ability to impact the passing game and the run game. The Commanders ranked 30 rushing yards allowed per game. If they can bring in Greenlaw, they’ll certainly bolster their defense enough to remain competitive. 

1. EDGE Haason Reddick

The jury is out on if any team is interested in cutting a deal with Haason Reddick after his tumultuous 2024 season with the New York Jets. He was a holdout as he wanted to restructure his contract for the beginning of the season.

He’s aging and might not be as productive as he once was. That said, he could very well be good enough to impact this defense. The Commanders need a good edge rusher, someone who can have an effect both in the passing and running game. 

They already have a solid interior defensive line that features Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. If they can sure up their secondary and linebacker core, the final piece to getting competitive in the conference again would be a solid edge rusher. 

The good thing is Reddick could keep them competitive now and allow them to get a rookie in the draft to build around and become a building piece for the future. There are other players too they could look at, including running it back with Chase Young. 

The Commanders have both options and the money to pretty much do whatever they need to stay atop the NFC. It won’t be easy to be as competitive next season, but with the right offensive moves, it won’t be too difficult either.