The Washington Commanders will look much different in 2024. Washington began its offseason of change at the NFL trade deadline by moving defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
The Commanders have nine draft picks in the 2024 NFL draft, including five in the top 100. But before the draft, there is free agency. No NFL team has more salary cap space than Washington. New general manager Adam Peters stressed the Commanders will always prioritize the draft, but use free agency to supplement the roster.
Washington will have numerous free agents in 2024. Among the more notable names are cornerback Kendall Fuller, safety Kam Curl, wide receiver Curtis Samuel, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
ESPN analyst — and former Washington safety — Matt Bowen recently ranked his top 50 free agents for 2024. Two Commanders made the list, beginning with Kendall Fuller at No. 19.
A veteran with savvy coverage technique and transition speed out of his pedal, Fuller grabbed two interceptions this season, giving him a total of 16 in his career. He’d be a smart fit for a quarters-based system. And Fuller can set an edge against the run, too, with 79 tackles in 2023. I see a player who can boost the profile of a contender’s secondary.
Fuller has spent six of his eight NFL seasons in Washington. Will a regime change mean he’s elsewhere in 2024? Every coach loves Fuller because he remains a terrific player who is versatile and great in the locker room.
Curl came in at No. 36:
I’d like to see Curl create more on-the-ball production — he hasn’t had an interception since grabbing three in his 2020 rookie year — but he’s a highly instinctive safety with the ability to align at multiple levels of the field. He fits best in a split-safety scheme where he can run the alley and drive top-down on the football. Curl had 115 tackles and forced a fumble in 2023.
Curl is another player Washington always wanted to keep. But with Peters now in town and a new defensive boss coming, will they value the former seventh-round pick the same way?
