The Washington Commanders are still looking to spend money on another weapon for quarterback Jayden Daniels. After missing out on top free agent options like Alec Pierce and Rashid Shaheed, general manager Adam Peters hasn't moved his crosshairs to the upcoming draft yet.
Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Washington Commanders need a WR2 to pair with Terry McLaurin after Deebo Samuel's potential departure.
- General manager Adam Peters is evaluating veteran options and potential trades to bolster quarterback Jayden Daniels' roster.
- Acquiring a high-impact receiver could shape Washington's offensive strategy and improve their playoff chances this season.
With last year's WR2, Deebo Samuel, looking to land in a new home as a free agent this year, Washington must find a complementary piece to WR1 Terry McLaurin. Peters still has plenty of viable options out there, and if he can't land a signing, perhaps a trade ahead of or at April's draft could solve the team's quandary. Let's evaluate some of those options.
Brandon Aiyuk
You wouldn't be blamed for thinking that Aiyuk was already on the free-agent market, but there's a bit of a snag to his voided contract situation with the San Francisco 49ers: The team still controls his rights for the time being and has to release him in order for his services to be acquired by another team for straight cash. But general manager John Lynch is smart, and if he's reading tea leaves, he probably believes he can convince a team to give up a late-round pick for the 2020 first-round selection.
Previous reporting has indicated Aiyuk's preferred destination is Washington. He'd reunite with his former Arizona State teammate in Daniels, plus a former San Francisco executive in Peters. It's unclear if the Commanders' brass returns the same interest, but there comes a time where you've got to make your star quarterback comfortable — and Daniels clearly wants to play with his Sun Devil pal. Lest Peters begins an unnecessary rift with Daniels, acquiring the No. 2 wideout that could replace Samuel (if he isn't released to be signed) is well worth a seventh-round pick just to ensure nobody else snatches him from the Bay Area.
Keenan Allen
Sure, the six-time Pro Bowl selection is entering his age-34 season, but he's proven he can still produce at a high level. His 777 yards and four touchdowns on 81 grabs with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025 had him among the upper tier of WR2s. And that was with Justin Herbert under center; imagine Daniels tossing a dime down the sideline to him on a crucial third down.
Allen would provide an additional veteran presence in the Commanders locker room. He only cost the Chargers $3 million last season with an approximate $5.2 million cap hit. He'd likely cost significantly less this year for Washington, providing Adams with some flexibility not only on the team's ledger but also in having the ability to still target a first-round wideout in April to develop for 2027.
Jauan Jennings
If Peters doesn't want to risk any of the potential locker-room antics that may come with signing Aiyuk, making a pitch to his former teammate in Jauan Jennings may be worth a shot. The 28-year-old posted 643 yards and nine touchdowns on just 55 catches last season for San Francisco. That's a bit of mixed bag, but his relatively inefficiency mostly came down to the fact that he was the team's WR1 for most of the year with Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall missing significant time.
Jennings' market is a bit dead at the moment; that should strengthen Washington's negotiating position if interested. Jennings could end up being a solid WR2 option to move the chains on third downs, but the Commanders shouldn't overpay for him either.
Tyreek Hill
After being released by the Miami Dolphins on Feb. 16, Tyreek Hill was expected to be a premier option on the free agent market. But he remains unsigned after the first two weeks of the new league year. That may be because the 32-year-old is still recovering from an ACL injury, but once healthy, he could still be a deadly option for any offense.
Washington may want to consider taking advantage of the fact that the rest of the league is betting against Hill's abilities once recovered. Hill wants to sign for a contender, and the Commanders may not necessarily meet that standard. However, he appears to not have many options, so why should he turn down an opportunity to receive passes from the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year? Washington has the money to spend (even if Hill is slightly overvalued) and should invest in a still speedy WR2 that will draw attention away from McLaurin.
Jordan Addison
Here's where the hypothetical gets a little lofty. If Peters is unwilling to sign what's left at the bottom of the barrel in Aiyuk, Allen, Jennings or Hill, then perhaps a blockbuster trade could be another option. The Minnesota Vikings are not in "win-now" mode but clearly have expectations of challenging for the NFC North title. They probably won't deal a top player before April's draft, but if by the time the November deadline comes around new QB Kyler Murray isn't cutting it, they may be more willing to deal.
Jordan Addison is on the final year of his rookie contract and due a hefty payday sooner rather than later. It wouldn't surprise anyone if he secretly believes he's stuck in Justin Jefferson's shadow and wants more opportunity elsewhere. Washington could be a worthy destination if Daniels is back to full strength and the team is once again a contender: Addison would still be WR2 behind McLaurin, but the incentive to re-sign would be inheriting the offense with Daniels in his prime. Washington should offer a 2027 second-rounder and third-rounder for continuity at wideout.