Just because the Washington Commanders are going to have a lot of money to spend this offseason, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t take long looks at the big contracts they already have in place.
More importantly, the Commanders should take long looks at almost every position on the roster and, in the case where they can upgrade, they should. Especially when it comes to building the offense around Pro Bowl quarterback Jayden Daniels in his second season.
Bleacher Report thinks one of the players currently on the Commanders who could end up a salary cap casualty this offseason — and push Washington’s salary cap space over $100 million — is right offensive tackle and 2-time Super Bowl champion Andrew Wylie.
From Bleacher Report: “The Commanders’ decision to give Andrew Wylie a three-year, $24 million deal back in 2023 raised some eyebrows. It’s a decent contract to give someone who was mostly a starter at guard for the Chiefs. However, he’s mostly held up his end of the bargain … The Commanders also have a ton of cash and the resources to potentially upgrade the position. If they find that opportunity, then the $7.8 million they could save by cutting Wylie could be appealing.”
That the Commanders have won big with a mid-grade offensive line in terms of salary is one of the more remarkable stories of the entire NFL season and letting go of a player like Wylie, who has started 29 of a possible 34 games over the last 2 seasons, could end up being a huge mistake.
Breaking Down Wylie’s Current Contract, Impact
Wylie, who will turn 31 years old in August, had a long and winding road to an NFL career but when he finally caught hold he never let go.
The 6-foot-6, 309-pound Eastern Michigan product went undrafted in 2017 and spent that season on the practice squad for 4 different teams before catching on with the Kansas City Chiefs at the single greatest time to catch on with the Kansas City Chiefs in the franchise’s 65-year history.
Three Super Bowls … And Possibly a Fourth
In 6 seasons with the Chiefs, Wylie played in the AFC Championship Game 5 times and played in the Super Bowl 3 times, winning following the 2019 and 2022 seasons.
From 2018 to 2022, Wylie was a full-time starter for the Chiefs and started a career high 17 games in 2022 before landing his big payday with the Commanders with his 3-year, $24 million contract.
After going 4-13 in his first season with the Commanders in 2023, he’s been part of the biggest turnaround in franchise history with a 12-5 record and Wylie now one win away from playing his fourth Super Bowl as Washington faces the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on January 26.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Fowler placed Wylie on his NFL All-Overpaid Team before the season after he started 15 games and gave up 9 sacks in 2023 — the fourth-most of any right tackle in the NFL. He also gave up 47 QB pressures and 23 QB hits.
PFF has Wylie with a 59.3 grade in 2024, putting him 85th out of 141 eligible offensive tackles in 2024, but a closer look reveals why his $7.75 million salary in 2025 might be worth it — he didn’t give up a single sack in 2024.
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Commanders’ $24 Million OT Predicted as Salary Cap Casualty