The Commanders didn’t land the league’s top free agents this week. They swung and missed on star targets like defensive end Trey Hendrickson, center Tyler Linderbaum and wide receivers Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs.
But Washington remained active, leaving the first wave of the NFL’s annual free agency frenzy with a handful of key additions at positions of need. The fresh faces began trickling into Washington’s practice facility on Thursday to officially sign their new deals.
The new blood includes edge rusher Odafe Oweh — who signed a four-year, $100 million deal — tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, linebacker Leo Chenal, cornerback Amik Robertson, defensive end Charles Omenihu, safety Nick Cross and defensive tackle Tim Settle.
The Commanders continued the additions on Thursday afternoon, agreeing to sign running back Rachaad White to a one-year deal.
The signings marked a homecoming for Settle, Cross and Okonkwo.
The former two grew up in the region, while Okonkwo played at Maryland with Cross after growing up in Georgia.
Familiarity with the region was a motivating factor for Okonkwo.
“I know the area, I know the team,” said Okonkwo, who wasn’t aware that he’d be reuniting with Cross. “[Northwest Stadium] is the first stadium I ever played — my first college game — in. So, that was pretty cool.”
Settle, a Northern Virginia native, was similarly ready to come back home.
“I grew up a Washington fan. I grew up cheering for this organization,” said Settle, whom the Commanders originally drafted in 2018. “I didn’t like how I left. This is a new era, a new chapter.”
General manager Adam Peters’ free agency approach supports Settle’s assessment. The front office brought a measured, targeted strategy to the offseason acquisitions. It marked a far cry from the splashy, devil-may-care spending the franchise favored under former owner Dan Snyder.
The Commanders offered hefty contracts to Linderbaum, Pierce, Doubs and Hendrickson. But they were outbid. In Linderbaum’s case, the resulting deal featured a three-year, $81 million agreement with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Instead of matching the most exorbitant deals — like the $120 mill that the Ravens gave to Hendrickson — Washington took its cap space elsewhere.
The deals for Robertson, Settle, Cross, Chanel and Omenihu didn’t break the bank, but provided immediate improvements for a defense in need of an overhaul.
“You’re always trying to get younger and faster,” Peters said at his end-of-season press conference. and “That’ll be a big emphasis for us this offseason.”
Each free-agent acquisition is in their 20s — entering the prime of their careers. Chanel, Cross and Oweh also offer an unparalleled level of speed that was missing from Washington’s defense over the last two seasons.
The Commanders still led the league in available cap space on Thursday with more than $60 million left to spend, according to Over The Cap.
It’s easier to attract free-agent talent with an improved reputation.
Washington has spent the past three years trying to remake an image that was tarnished under Snyder. It’s working, even if they weren’t able to convince some of the top players to move to the District.
The Commanders surged up the NFLPA’s annual report cards, where players give their organizations a series of grades on topics like facilities, coaches and the front office.
Washington received the third-best grades in the league this year. Coach Dan Quinn received an A+. Peters scored an A.
“Culture is a huge thing for me. In my past few years, I’ve had so much shifting in and out. I really just want stability. This place just has a good culture,” Okonkwo said. “That’s just really what I’m looking for.”
Settle heard about a strong brotherhood building in Washington.
“Well, I’m the brother and this is the hood,” he said.
Settle, Cross and Okonkwo are familiar names for die-hard sports fans around the District. White isn’t a Washingtonian, but he boasts an established rapport with quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The two played together for two seasons at Arizona State.
“Let’s do it, twin,” White wrote on his Instagram story, alongside a clip of the duo exchanging a handshake after Daniels’ NFL debut in 2024.
White, like most of Washington’s free agency additions, won’t sell many tickets on his own. But he filled a need on a team that finished 5-12 last season.
The Commanders needed a pass-catching option out of the backfield.
With the Buccaneers, he tallied 205 total receptions across four campaigns. His 89.1% catch rate — which measures how often a receiver turns his targets into receptions — is the best in NFL history, according to Pro Football Reference.
The Commanders entered free agency with just one running back on the roster: second-year rusher Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
The seventh-rounder impressed on the ground in his rookie campaign but lacked the route-running and sure-handedness to make him an every-down back.
White will likely split time with Croskey-Merritt, though Washington is expected to add at least one more running back before training camp.
The Commanders hold the No. 7 pick in next month’s NFL draft. Many analysts across the league have tied them to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, a unanimous All-American who flashed explosive abilities as a runner and a receiver in college.
White might not be the last former Arizona State player to join the Commanders. The franchise is widely considered the favorite to add disgruntled San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk when he becomes available. Aiyuk and Daniels are close friends who bonded during their time with the Sun Devils.
The impactful, if modest, moves allow Washington some flexibility in next month’s NFL draft. Peters and Quinn wil be able to select the best player available, instead of desperately seeking to fill a hole on the roster.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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