2025 Free Agency Preview: Defensive Line

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February 21, 2025

By Noonefromtampa

2024 Roster

A number of free agents were signed prior to last season, some to one-year deals, so this position group will see another overhaul this offseason.

Returning players include Dorance Armstrong, Daron Payne, Johnny Newton, Jonathan Allen, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Carl Davis Jr., Efe Obada, and Andre Jones Jr. Of these players, there is speculation that Payne could be traded in the off-season and that Allen could be a salary cap casualty. Washington can probably afford to lose one of these two players, but not both in the same season. Payne and Allen are two of the three largest cap hits for the team next season, that is something that will need to be addressed.

Players entering free agency include Clelin Ferrell, Dante Fowler Jr., Sheldon Day and Jalyn Holmes. The most impactful player of this group was Fowler, who led the team with 10.5 sacks. He was on a one-year deal in 2024 for just over $3.2 million, so bringing him back will be more expensive, probably costing a multi-year deal with an average salary of around $5.0 million.

Top Free Agents

This section covers younger players who the team would sign to longer term, bigger value contracts:

Interior Player Outside Player
B.J. Hill, 30 Josh Sweat, 28
Osa Odighizuwa, 27 Malcolm Koonce, 27
D.J. Jones, 30 Baron Browning, 26
Milton Williams, 26 Dayo Odeyingbo, 26
Levi Onwuzurike, 27

With Washington’s run defense lacking, signing at least one interior defensive lineman is realistic, especially if they part ways with Allen or Payne.  Media folks are connecting Odighizuwa with Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt from their time in Dallas. However, he is projected to be the biggest contract draw of the interior lineman, in the $18 to $21 million dollar per year range. Hill, Jones and Williams are a better value in the $10 to $12 million dollar per year category, while Onwuzuike falls in about the $5 million per year category. Odighizwa and Williams (along with Sweat) come from NFC East teams so signing them has the added value of subtracting from an NFC East opponent.

Washington’s anemic pass rush also needs a boost. The best player on the board is Sweat, with everyone else being a tier lower. Sweat, coming off a good year and a Super Bowl victory, will be looking for a multi-year deal in the range of $20 million per year at a minimum. Koone would have been the other big contract signing prior to his season-ending knee injury, also figuring to draw interest in the $20 million per year range. The question is whether teams only be willing to offer shorter-term, incentive laden prove it deals since he is coming off a serious injury. Odeyingbo and Browning will be available in the $15 million dollar a year area.

Role Player Free Agents

This section covers players who would sign short-term contracts, players who would get “prove-it” deals or be considered rotational players in the scheme. There are several older players who would be considered for one-year deals to bridge the gap to the future as well as younger players who are situational role players.

Interior Player Outside Player
Poona Ford, 30 Khalil Mack, 34
Javon Kinlaw, 28 Haason Reddick, 30
Jarran Reed, 33 DeMarcus Lawrence, 32
Bobby Brown, 25 Preston Smith, 32
Adam Butler, 31 Matt Judon, 33
Sebastian Joseph-Day, 30
Teair Tart, 28

Most of the better edge players available are 30 years old or older and playing on a series of one to two year incentive-laden deals at this point in their career. Signing one of them would be a stop gap until the Commanders can draft a replacement. If Washington does not re-sign Fowler, this may be an avenue they use to boost the pass rush. Most of this group falls into a range of $12 to $20 million dollars for a 1-year deal.

For the interior player, outside of Ford and Kinlaw, who can generate some pressure up the middle, the rest are run-stoppers and offer little on passing downs. The defensive tackle market for situational players runs in the $2 million to $6 million dollar range.

Thoughts

None of the edge rushers listed here bested Fowler’s 10.5 sacks. I don’t see Ferrell returning to the team.

If the Commanders do pursue Odighizuwa, it could mean the departure of both Allen and Payne to free up the needed cap space.

Sweat had 8 sacks last season, the same as Frankie Luvu. That makes one wonder if Washington will want to invest big money in him.

 

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