Commanders receive disappointing free agency news that should actually work in their favor at the end of the day
Free agency is a little over three weeks away, so reports, rumors, and speculation are bound to start ramping up at any moment.The Washington Commanders are expected to be active, again, this offseason as Adam Peters and Dan Quinn look to add more pieces that can help them build off a very successful 2024 season. […]
Free agency is a little over three weeks away, so reports, rumors, and speculation are bound to start ramping up at any moment.
The Washington Commanders are expected to be active, again, this offseason as Adam Peters and Dan Quinn look to add more pieces that can help them build off a very successful 2024 season. With more than $68.4 million in cap room, the Commanders have plenty of room to work with in the coming weeks.
One big name that's been consistently linked to Washington is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He's going to be expensive, but he'd be a great fit opposite Terry McLaurin and would immediately give the Commanders a top-3 receiving duo. The Commanders need a true No. 2 wideout next to McLaurin, but Higgins has routinely flashed WR1 talents and skills throughout his career, so it would essentially be two WR1s leading the way.
That dream may as well be tossed aside, however. Per Sports Illustrated's James Rapien, the Bengals plan on hitting Higgins with the franchise tag for the second year in a row after the window opens on Tuesday, February 18. The Bengals will reportedly use the non-exclusive franchise tag, which basically eliminates any interest Higgins would've received on the market. That's because not only would a team now have to sign him to a big deal, it'd have to send the Bengals two first-round picks if they decline to match the offer.
Tee Higgins' franchise tag situation should work out better for the Commanders in the long run
This is actually good news for the Commanders. Sure, landing an talent like Higgins is a major upgrade that should only help Jayden Daniels' and the offense's development. At the same time, though, Higgins' new deal (whenever that happens) is expected to either fall in the $30 million per year category or eclipse it. Even if that doesn't come to fruition, he'll make at least $26-$28 million per year, which is still a very high dollar amount, obviously. Granted, there's the option of a tag-and-trade, but that would still cost the Commanders a fat contract plus two first-rounders if Higgins were to join the squad in this scenario.
That, combined with his recent injury history and let's just be real, non top-10 résumé in terms of statistics and numbers, would make the addition very risky, but highly rewarding if everything works out like it's intended to. This is the game of football, however, and we know that's not always the case.
The Commanders have already shown they can make things work lesser talent and the perfect example is trading away former first-round pick Jahan Dotson just to watch him underperform with the Philadelphia Eagles. Olamide Zaccheaus and Dyami Brown both turned out to be better players for the Commanders and neither of them had anywhere close to the first-round pedigree Dotson had.
I say that to say this: The Commanders clearly know what they're doing and they could easily find effective and efficient ways to spread that money around (or use it for a big name at a different position) as opposed to locking all of it in on Higgins.
And for a team that still has a lot of holes to fill, it's honestly the best scenario for them.
