Adam Peters has a significant amount of hard work ahead when the 2025 offseason arrives. The Washington Commanders have fallen flat this season after so much was expected from fans. Some harsh reflections and tough decisions are imminent, and the general manager must get them right.
Peters will have a good lay of the land by now. He'll know that the Commanders have to get younger across the board. He'll also know that the defense needs the proper investments to turn things around.
With only six selections in the 2026 NFL Draft as things stand, attacking free agency is almost guaranteed. The Commanders could have over $100 million in available salary-cap space next spring if the necessary sacrifices are made. And Peters' first port of call should be adding a prolific edge rusher or cornerback into the mix.
Commanders need another cornerback in free agency after Marshon Lattimore injury
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN named Alontae Taylor the best cornerback set to become a free agent in 2026. After speaking to sources around the league, the insider believes it would take around $18 million per year to secure his services.
"[Alontae] Taylor gets the edge as the top corner based on teams consulted for this exercise. He has good size (6 feet, 199 pounds) with the flexibility to play inside and out. The Saints and Taylor once discussed an extension, but a deal never happened, which made him a trade candidate at last week's deadline. The Bears and Colts showed interest. As a reference point, the top 2025 free agent corners earned about $18 million per year on new deals."
Jeremy Fowler
Taylor is an outstanding, ascending player. It's been a challenging campaign for the Saints overall, but he's one of the very few to have emerged with credit consistently. He's sound in coverage, holds his own against the run, and is a ferocious asset on blitz packages — something that came to the fore during his exceptional display against the Carolina Panthers in Week 10.
While $18 million per season is a lot, the Commanders have a way to pay for it without jeopardizing their ability to strengthen other areas. And there are ways to structure the contract so it works for all parties.
Marshon Lattimore's release with one year remaining on his deal comes with no dead money and $18.5 million in savings. Looking at his performance levels overall since the trade, coupled with the fact he'll be out for a while with a torn ACL, this seems like a no-brainer.
Peters will have a plan in mind, but adding Taylor to go alongside Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil looks like a competent cornerback trio for the defensive coordinator — whomever that might be — to depend upon.