Commanders Spend Big in Free Agency, Still Have Top Salary Cap Space

Washington's GM Adam Peters made major moves, but left room for more with $49.3 million in cap space.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 12:22am

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The Washington Commanders were the top spenders in the NFL this offseason, signing new free agents and extending key players like EDGE Odafe Oweh and OT Laremy Tunsil. Despite spending over $315 million, the Commanders still have the second-most salary cap space at $49.3 million, leaving the door open for more moves before the 2026 NFL Draft.

Why it matters

The Commanders' aggressive free agency approach has revamped their roster, but they have done so responsibly by structuring contracts in a way that provides flexibility. This leaves them in a strong position to continue improving the team, either through more free agent signings or by allocating resources to their upcoming draft class.

The details

The Commanders' major free agent signings include a 4-year, $100 million deal for EDGE Odafe Oweh and a 2-year, $60.2 million extension for OT Laremy Tunsil. They were also able to re-sign OG Chris Paul to a 1-year, $3 million contract, a bargain compared to his projected market value. Despite the high-profile spending, the Commanders structured the deals in a way that keeps their 2026 salary cap hits manageable, with both Oweh and Tunsil having cap hits under $12 million this year.

  • The Commanders' free agency spending spree took place in March 2026.

The players

Adam Peters

The Washington Commanders' general manager who oversaw the team's aggressive free agency approach this offseason.

Odafe Oweh

The EDGE rusher the Commanders signed to a 4-year, $100 million contract in free agency.

Laremy Tunsil

The offensive tackle the Commanders signed to a 2-year, $60.2 million extension at the start of free agency.

Chris Paul

The offensive guard the Commanders re-signed to a 1-year, $3 million contract, a bargain compared to his projected market value.

Nick Allegretti

The center the Commanders currently have on their roster, with the team potentially looking to add competition at the position.

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What’s next

The Commanders could look to sign additional free agents, particularly at wide receiver and cornerback, to further bolster their roster before the 2026 NFL Draft.

The takeaway

The Commanders have been aggressive in free agency, spending over $315 million, but have done so responsibly by structuring contracts in a way that provides flexibility. With the second-most salary cap space in the NFL, the Commanders are in a strong position to continue improving their roster through more free agent signings or by allocating resources to their upcoming draft class.