OPINION:
Dan Quinn, asked at the NFL owners meetings to justify cutting center Tyler Biadasz, putting the ball in Nick Allegretti’s hands, told reporters, “We won a lot of games with Nick.”
Confused? Technically, the coach was right, the team won the same number of games with Biadasz on the roster as it did with Allegretti over the last two seasons. Of course, Biadasz started more of those wins.
But that answer was about as good as it got for the Commanders on Monday at the meetings in Phoenix.
The team cut Biadasz, who was set to earn $8.3 million, and he was quickly signed by the Los Angeles Chargers to a three-year, $30 million contract. Other teams reportedly were interested in the center as well.
When general manager Adam Peters was asked about the decision to release Biadasz — not trade him — he answered, “I don’t want to get into specifics, and we’ve talked to Tyler about that. I will say he is one of the first guys that we signed and we really appreciate what he did for us the last two years and wish him a lot of luck in L.A., and I think he’s going to do well there. But in terms of the specifics, I think we’ll just keep those in-house.”
I think I would need a little more than that.
Depending on who you believe, Biadasz was their best offensive lineman. Maryland football analyst Steve Sutter, who breaks down Commanders film for my podcast partner Kevin Sheehan graded Biadasz out as the team’s best offensive lineman in 2025. Biadasz had a Pro Football Focus rating of 70.7, ranking him 11th. I doubt the Commanders had many, if any, players ranked 11th in anything in PFF.
If they are protecting Biadasz from something being revealed, whatever it is, it didn’t scare away Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh and other teams.
This is a sore spot amidst the perception that the body of the Commanders — at least the woeful defense — was healed this winter by Peters’ free agent shopping spree. They signed nine free agents — seven on defense — led by the $100 million deal for pass rusher Odafe Oweh.
Owner Josh Harris said Peters and Quinn “had a great free agency.”
But when asked by reporters if there was a sense of urgency coming off a disappointing 5-12 season — quarterback Jayden Daniels’ second year — Harris answered, “There is.”
“No one was happy with last season,” he said. “We have a young quarterback we have a lot of faith in. Time’s a-wasting and we’ve got to get on it and that’s what we’re doing.”
There was no indication, however, that Washington acted with a sense of urgency during free agency. Instead, the front office seemed cautious and methodical – even though the team had cash falling out of its pockets.
The first day of free agency came and went with center Tyler Linderbaum signing with the Las Vegas Raiders; pass rusher Jaelan Phillips making a deal with the Carolina Panthers; receiver Romeo Doubs signing with the New England Patriots, and receiver Alec Pierce staying with the Indianapolis Colts. Later, the most prized target in free agency, pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, signed a four-year, $112 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens after the Maxx Crosby fiasco.
Peters was reportedly “in” on all of these targets, only to lose out. But then again, Washington still has $50 million in cap space. Yeah, urgency.
Harris mentioned his young quarterback whom they have a lot of faith in. They also have a certain amount of fear.
The Commanders owner was asked about Daniels playing in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic — his first time in public on a football field since Washington put him in bubble wrap at the end of last season following a series of injuries.
“I’m not going to say I wasn’t nervous, but, uh, glad that we got through that one,” Harris said. “He’s our guy. We have a lot of faith in him.”
The Commanders could have said no. NFL teams had to give permission to active players to participate.
“Your guy” risking injury in a flag football game hardly represents a sense of urgency this season. Saying no would have.
• Catch Thom Loverro on “The Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast.
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