Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Washington Commanders fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Today, we have just one question in the Reacts survey, having to do with — of course — free agency.
The Commanders have had another eventful offseason, and during the “legal tampering period”, they have reportedly come to terms with 4 external free agents, all on the defensive side of the ball. They have also cut two players, extended two players already under contract, and agreed to deals with 8 pending free agents from Washington’s 2025 roster.
OLB/EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson was signed in free agency early Wednesday.
External free agents who have agreed to terms
Odafe Oweh is a 27-year-old pass rush specialist who had a very impressive Pro Day workout in 2021 when he was the 31st overall pick in the draft, going to the Ravens. He was traded to the Chargers in Week 6 of the ‘25 season. In 12 games with the Chargers, he was credited with 7.5 sacks during the season and 3 in the playoffs. Oweh had 10 sacks in a full season in 2024, though he averaged under 5 per season for his first 3 years in the NFL. After joining the Chargers in Week 6 of 2025, Oweh generated the 6th-highest pressure rate in the NFL (17.3%, min. 200 pass rushes). He led the Chargers in total pressures (37) and quick pressures (12) in that span. The Commanders reportedly gave him a 4-yr, $100m contract.
Leo Chenal is a 25-year-old linebacker who has just reached the end of his rookie contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, meaning that he is also a 2-time Super Bowl champion. In four years with the Chiefs, he played in 65 games (44 starts) as the SAM linebacker. His snap share was significantly less than those of Drue Tranquill and Nick Bolton, but he still made an impact on the field. Chenal notched 218 tackles, 17 TFLs, 7 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles in Kansas City. Over four seasons of play, he totaled 1,590 defensive snaps with the most in a single season being 53-percent in ‘25. Chenal has also been a core special teams’ player with 1,108 snaps logged to date. His missed tackle rate has been under 5-percent the past three seasons. Washington reportedly offered him a 3-yr, $24.75m deal ($8.25m AAV).
Amik (or Mik) Robertson is a 27-year-old cornerback with 6 years of NFL experience. He was taken by the Raiders in the 4th round of the 2020 draft and spent the past two seasons with the Lions. While he is seen as a more natural slot corner, he played primarily on the outside for the Lions defense. He was on the field for 60% of the defensive snaps in 2023 (Raiders) and 2024 (Lions), and 76% of the defensive snaps last season. The Commanders are expected to line up Robertson, who is listed at 5’9”, 183 pounds, as the primary slot defender, with 3rd year corner Mikey Sainristil (a CB of similar size) likely to play wide, though new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones has stressed versatility and disguise at all three levels of the defense. The Commanders have reportedly agreed to a 2-yr, $16m deal with $9.3m guaranteed for Robertson.
Tim Settle will be well-known to most Washington fans and Virginia Tech fans. The 28-year-old lineman, whose listed playing weight is 313 pounds, but who weighed 329 pounds at the NFL Combine, was selected by the Washington Redskins in the 5th round of the 2018 NFL draft. When his rookie contract was finished, he signed as a free agent for 2 years with the Bills and then two years with the Texans. He is now coming home on a reported 3-year, $24m deal, and it has been widely speculated that he will be the primary nose tackle, flanked by Payne and Kinlaw, when Washington lines up in a 3-man defensive front. While Settle generally played about one-third of the defensive snaps in Washington and Buffalo, he was on the field for about 55% of snaps for the very good Houston Texans defense in 2024-25.
The Commanders have reportedly signed or come to agreement with 8 pending free agents from the 2025 roster who will return to Washington in 2026:
- QB Marcus Mariota – 1 year ($7m)
- WR Treylon Burks – 1 year (~$2m)
- P Tress Way – 1 year ($1.49 cap hit)
- DE Deatrich Wise – 1 year ($1.45m)
- DE Drake Jackson – 1 year
- DT Shy Tuttle – 1 year
- K Jake Moody – 1 year
- OL – Andrew Wylie – 2 years
Washington also signed two players to early extensions this offseason:
- LT Laremy Tunsil – 2 years, ($60.2m)
- OL Nick Allegretti – 2 years
The Commanders also cut two players:
- CB Marshon Lattimore
- C Tyler Biadasz
The Commanders offseason is not close to being finished. Free agency doesn’t even officially begin until 4pm on Wednesday, March 11th — a fact we should all be well reminded of with the Maxx Crosby fiasco involving the Ravens and Raiders.
As of this morning, Washington has 61 players who are under contract or who have agreed to terms. That means the front office will be adding 30 more players before reaching the offseason roster limit of 91. Only 6 of those are expected to come from the draft, so there are another 2 dozen veteran and college free agents yet to be signed.
Of course, we invite you to answer the survey question below, but also feel free to expand on your answer and provide nuance in the comments section. While you are certainly free to simply share which choice you made in answer to the survey question, the most interesting comments will explain why you answered the way you did. I rely on those comments when discussing the results of the survey when they are posted in a separate article the next few days.
