The Washington Commanders have used the offseason to overhaul big chunks of the roster through free agency and the NFL draft. It’s what happens when you’re coming off a 5-12 season and everyone from the janitor to the head coach is on the hot seat.
Part of that roster trimming appears to be a pair of former NFL All-Pro selections who ESPN put on its list of the NFL’s “Top Available Free Agents” just 2 months before training camp.
Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel was ranked as the No. 5 available free agent, and linebacker Bobby Wagner came in at No. 11 headed into a season where he’s just 19 tackles away from breaking Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis’ NFL career record of 1,568 tackles.
“Wagner’s 9.5 tackles per game ranked sixth overall in 2025, showing he can still key quickly and rack up run stops,” ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote. “He does have limitations in coverage at this stage of his career, but he would add a veteran voice and early-down production to any NFL defense … Samuel caught 72 passes and scored five touchdowns in his one season with the Commanders, with 63.7% of his receiving totals coming after the catch. A power strider, he would benefit from a system that allows him to get loose on catch-and-run targets.”
Deebo Samuel Could Still Draw Big-Money Offer
Samuel, 30, could very well be headed for another big payday after making $17 million in his 1 season with the Commanders.
CBS Sports called the Miami Dolphins the “ideal fit” for Samuel in 2026.
“The Dolphins entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a massive hole at receiver,” CBS Sports NFL reporter Tyler Sullivan wrote. “While they did come away with three wideouts over the course of the weekend, they came in the third (Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell) and fifth (Kevin Coleman Jr.) rounds, so it’s hardly a guarantee they’ll make an immediate impact. With that in mind, they need a veteran to enter that room, and Samuel could fit the bill. While he does have a lot of mileage on his body and is entering his age-30 season, Samuel continues to be a solid receiver. His 72 receptions in 2025 were the second-highest of his career.”
Samuel has a market projection of a 2-year, $31 million contract, according to Spotrac, but that seems a bit high. In all likelihood, he’s looking at a 1-year contract worth somewhere between $10 million to $12 million — not bad work if you can get it.
Commanders Drafted Wagner’s Replacement
The Commanders left little to the imagination when it comes to bringing Wagner back after he led the defense the last 2 season when they drafted Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
At the NFL scouting combine, Styles not only ran the 40-yard in a blazing, 4.46 seconds and broad jumped 11-feet, 2 inches, he registered a 43.5-inch vertical leap — the best anyone at his position has jumped in over 20 years.
“To put Styles’ vertical jump into context, it was better than Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who at 6-5, 239 pounds, had a 42½-inch vertical jump at the 2007 combine,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote. “Styles’ jump was also better than current Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, whose 43-inch jump was the best at the 2025 combine.”
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