As the 3-8 Washington Commanders exit the bye week and begin to focus on their Week 13 matchup with the Denver Broncos, a separate part of the organization will continue their attention on the upcoming offseason, which includes who will/won’t return to Washington for the 2026 season.
The Commanders will only have 34 players currently under contract, which is the second-lowest in the NFL. While the roster has certainly shown their flaws throughout this season due to injuries and lack of depth, there
have been a few bright spots to point out and reward this offseason.
Let’s take a look at three upcoming Commanders free agents that should be locked up before this season ends.
Jacob Martin, DE
The most consistent player on the Commanders defense this season signed a relatively cheap one-year deal and had minimal expectations entering the year. Jacob Martin’s presence has been a much-needed breath of fresh air during an overall poor defensive showing thus far.
Martin has 4.5 sacks in a limited role so far, but is seeing an increase of snaps in recent weeks due to his positive performance. His motor is undeniable and future Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller has gone on record multiple times to praise Martin, even comparing Martin to himself.
While it’s not likely Martin will see a major jump in pay next season, locking him up now reaffirms Washington’s desire to improve the defense and reward deserving on-field play.
Contract Prediction: Two-years, worth up to $9 million
Chris Paul, LG
The biggest year-to-year jump this season came from fourth-year guard Chris Paul, who was drafted by Washington in 2022 and rightfully earned the starting role over Brandon Coleman after Week 2.
Paul’s breakout was completely unexpected after spending time as a backup for Washington over the past three years. Since Paul’s first start in Week 3 against the Raiders, he hasn’t looked back and neither has the team.
Paul, 27, will be in high-demand on the market if he chooses to test the waters…
Washington would be wise to lock in their left guard of the future before another team tempts him with a boatload of cash.
Contract Prediction: Three-years, worth up to $38 million
Marcus Mariota, QB
Widely considered one of the top backup quarterbacks in the league, Marcus Mariota has likely seen more time this season than he imagined. He’ll probably tell you that’s all part of the gig, and though the team is fighting through a six-game losing streak, this franchise is lucky to have Mariota behind Jayden Daniels.
It’s no secret the defense is the root of the problems this year for Washington, and it puts the offense in tough positions on a weekly basis. Nevertheless, Mariota has put up sustained scoring drives and more often than not has the team in a position to win if the defense can make a few stops throughout the game.
Also, it’s rare to have a backup QB that infrequently turns the ball over.
Mariota and Daniels have an outstanding relationship according to everyone involved, and it would be a shame for Mariota to go mentor another young quarterback when Daniels still has plenty of developing to do.
Contract Prediction: One-year, worth up to $10 million
Final Thoughts
This will be a very important offseason for GM Adam Peters and his front-office staff. With the team currently slated to have a top-ten pick in the upcoming draft, one of the most important decisions will come down to keeping their pick, or trading back in the first round to collect more assets. That decision will have a ripple effect on the rest of the roster.
Either way, the Commanders should lock in the players that have overperformed during this disappointing season, and Jacob Martin, Chris Paul, and Marcus Mariota certainly fall under that category.
