The Washington Commanders are poised to enter next month’s free agency period with a substantial $73.6 million in available salary cap funds, according to Over the Cap. This amount places them as the fifth-highest in the NFL. The team is also expected to generate more cap flexibility by releasing cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Furthermore, the Commanders have various strategies to enhance their financial room for 2026, such as potentially offering a contract extension to left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Historically, the Washington franchise has demonstrated effective salary cap management, partly because they haven’t been obligated to allocate significant funds to a star quarterback. However, this situation is anticipated to shift in the near future. Jayden Daniels will reach his third NFL season in 2026, making him eligible for his initial contract extension during the subsequent offseason. Even so, Daniels will still have a year left on his initial rookie agreement, in addition to a fifth-year option that the Commanders are highly likely to exercise. While extending his affordability until the 2028 season through this approach is feasible, it’s generally not considered the shrewdest strategy. When an organization possesses a premier talent, particularly a quarterback, it’s often advisable for teams to proactively secure long-term deals to avoid scenarios akin to the one experienced with Kirk Cousins.
For the Washington organization, this presents an opportune moment to strategically deploy their available salary cap funds to bolster the roster surrounding Daniels. Following their appearance in the NFC Championship Game in 2024, the Commanders’ effort to maintain their core team in 2025, even with notable trades for players like Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, ultimately did not yield the desired results.
A contributing factor to Washington’s prudent cap management has been their ability to minimize “dead cap” charges. Let’s delve into the definition of “dead cap” and assess the extent of the Commanders’ dead cap obligations for 2026.
Understanding Dead Cap
Fundamentally, dead cap represents a financial burden against a team’s salary cap for an athlete who is no longer an active member of the squad. This typically arises from guaranteed compensation that has already been disbursed to an individual who has been cut, exchanged in a trade, or has chosen retirement. Should an organization part ways with a player prior to the conclusion of their agreement, any outstanding bonus amounts are immediately applied to the team’s present salary cap.
Washington’s Dead Cap Liabilities
-
Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel: $12.3 million
-
Linebacker Dominique Hampton: $156,642
The Commanders organization has encountered several dead cap charges in recent seasons, primarily as General Manager Adam Peters transitioned away from earlier draft selections that didn’t pan out. The Washington team absorbed dead money penalties following the release or trade of previous first-round draftees such as Jamin Davis, Jahan Dotson, and Emmanuel Forbes, all of whom still had time remaining on their initial professional contracts. Hampton, a seventh-round pick from the 2024 draft class, was let go prior to the commencement of the 2025 season.
Previously, we detailed the specifics of Samuel’s dead cap charge for the 2026 season:
When the Washington franchise acquired Samuel via trade during the previous offseason, his existing extension with the San Francisco 49ers had only one year remaining. Samuel’s scheduled base salary for 2025 was $16.6 million, however, the Commanders committed to guaranteeing him $17 million and included an additional $3 million in performance-based incentives. This financial maneuver enabled Washington to allocate Samuel’s cap impact across a two-year period, resulting in only a $5.1 million charge against the 2025 salary cap. The consequence of this arrangement was that his agreement would be nullified, and the outstanding portion of his cap charge would be applied to the 2026 cap instead.
The strategic use of “void years” has gained considerable traction throughout the NFL in contemporary times, largely popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Future Steps for Washington
It would not be unexpected to see General Manager Peters and Brandon Sosna, Washington’s senior vice president of football operations, finalize numerous multi-year agreements during the upcoming offseason. Sosna’s background includes a tenure in Detroit, where he contributed to the Lions’ salary cap administration, overseeing the re-signing of several emerging talents to lucrative, long-term contracts. The aspiration is that each executed contract will prove successful; however, as is commonly understood, this outcome is not always guaranteed.
This content was initially published by Commanders Wire, titled: Washington Commanders: An analysis of 2026 dead cap financials
