Commanders free agency tracker: Washington continues to bolster special teams

Pittman, a depth linebacker and core special teamer, agreed to terms with Washington on a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the situation said. His addition gives the Commanders four linebackers and calls into question whether the team will re-sign Khaleke Hudson, who had a similar role last season.

Pittman, 27, went undrafted out of Wayne State in 2019 and spent five seasons with Detroit. Over the past three years, he became key to kickoff coverage, kickoff return, punt coverage, punt return and field goal/extra point block. He played just 58 snaps on defense the last two years. The deal reunites Pittman with assistant general manager Lance Newmark, who was formerly a personnel executive in Detroit.

Efe Obada is the third Commanders free agent to re-sign with the team. The former international pathway player signed with Washington in 2022 as a rotational lineman after previously playing for former coach Ron Rivera in Carolina. Obada’s 2023 season was cut short because of a leg fracture, which he said resulted in one of the lowest points in his career. While injured, Obada said only two coaches reached out to him: Rivera and Dan Quinn. Obada was with the Falcons during their 2016 training camp, when Quinn was their head coach, and they developed a connection.

Obada said his recovery is on track, but he didn’t provide a timetable. When healthy, he should add depth and familiarity to a front that features many new faces at defensive end.

Bobby Wagner, 33, a member of the Seattle Seahawks’ famed “Legion of Boom” defense, agreed to terms with Washington, a person with knowledge of the deal said, reuniting him with Commanders Coach Dan Quinn and linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. The pair coached Wagner in Seattle and have drawn Wagner’s praise over the years.

“[Norton] has so much knowledge about the game, so much knowledge about every aspect of everything, like how to handle your finances, your family, you know, the situations where you have some success,” Wagner said in 2018, when Norton returned to Seattle as defensive coordinator. “He kind of made me the reader that I am today. He made us kind of do a book club my second year. So just always expanding your mind, always challenging yourself. … Just keeping your eye on something bigger than what it is and being a good person.”

Wagner will be entering his 13th NFL season — 11 spent in Seattle and one (2022) with the Los Angeles Rams — and his production continues to defy his age. He led all defenders with 183 total tackles last season, including 36 on third downs. His 71 run stops ranked him second among linebackers, per Pro Football Focus, and he also had 3.5 sacks and registered 17 quarterback pressures.

After years of poor play at the linebacker position, Washington now has two proven veterans manning the middle of the field in Wagner and Frankie Luvu.

Jeremy Reaves, the undrafted safety/special teamer, was cut multiple times and bounced on and off Washington’s practice squad for four years before making the active roster and becoming a Pro Bowler in 2022. The Commanders agreed to terms with Reaves on a two-year contract, two people with knowledge of the deal said. He and Crowder are the only two Commanders free agents to rejoin the team.

Reaves signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a college free agent in 2018 but was waived when they formed their initial roster. He then signed with Washington. As a rotational safety and core special-teamer, Reaves made his name as Tress Way’s trusted punt protector. He was the only Commander to earn all-pro honors in 2022 and blew away the competition for special teams with 91 votes, including 24 for the first team. Reaves was also among the team’s four Pro Bowl selections that year, and the moment he learned of the honor left him in tears.

A knee injury limited Reaves to only five games in 2023, but he is expected to be fully healthy well before training camp, a person with knowledge of his recovery said.

Washington re-signed depth slot receiver Jamison Crowder to a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the situation said. Crowder will be a candidate to return punts.

Crowder, 30, was drafted by Washington in 2015 and returned to the team last season after leaving as a free agent in 2019. Because of his sure hands and consistency, he returned punts instead of younger, more explosive undrafted rookie Kazmeir Allen.

Crowder returned 35 punts, the third most in the NFL, and averaged 7.9 yards, which ranked him 36th among players who returned at least five. He did show some explosion, though, with a season-best 61-yard return against the Atlanta Falcons. Crowder does not return many kickoffs, but it’s not a huge weakness as NFL kickoff return rates continue to decline.

The Commanders could add a younger, more explosive returner in free agency or the draft. But the team seems to be building a special teams unit that will have a solid floor and options.

On Tuesday, Washington added a veteran signal-caller who could mentor a top draft pick. Marcus Mariota, 30, agreed to a one-year deal with a base value of $6 million and worth up to $10 million, one person with knowledge of the terms said.

Washington explored the veteran quarterback market and had interest in Sam Darnold before he agreed to a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking said. After discussions with others, Washington landed on Mariota.

The addition calls into question the future of Sam Howell, who could interest a quarterback-needy team without a high draft pick, such as the Denver Broncos, who pick 12th.

Mariota, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, has been a journeyman since leaving the Tennessee Titans. He spent two years with the Las Vegas Raiders behind Derek Carr, one year with the Atlanta Falcons (mostly ahead of Desmond Ridder) and last year behind Jalen Hurts with the Philadelphia Eagles. In Washington, Mariota reunites with former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, who is now the Commanders’ assistant head coach and offensive pass game coordinator.

In 2022, Mariota had a messy exit from Atlanta. After a rough stretch late in the season, Atlanta benched him for Ridder, then a rookie, and Mariota, upset, left the team to have knee surgery.

In April, when he signed with the Eagles, Mariota acknowledged a mind-set shift.

“I’m at a point in my career where I’ve experienced everything,” Mariota said then. “I’ve been the guy, I’ve been the scout team guy, I’ve been released. So through all those different situations and scenarios, I’ve gathered a lot of experience, a lot of knowledge. I’m at a point in my career where I just want to enjoy the game. I want to have fun doing it. The scheme is very exciting for me, and the fact of the matter is, I feel like I can help Jalen. If we can make Jalen a better player, this team is going to be better.”

Certainly, the Commanders would like to hear Mariota express the same sentiment this year.

Former San Francisco 49ers and Raiders defensive end Clelin Ferrell agreed to a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the terms said. Ferrell reunites with Adam Peters, who was the 49ers’ assistant general manager last year when the team signed Ferrell to a one-year deal, and Washington’s defensive line coach Darryl Tapp, who previously was the 49ers’ assistant D-line coach.

Ferrell, a Richmond native, was drafted fourth by the Raiders in 2019 and had a promising rookie season with 4.5 sacks, 38 tackles, five passes defended and one fumble recovery. He was a rotational player for much of his time with the Raiders, and when the team declined to exercise his fifth-year option, he signed with the 49ers.

Ferrell started all 17 games for San Francisco last season, totaling 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass deflection. But a knee injury he suffered in the 49ers’ season finale sidelined him for the playoffs.

Former Carolina Panthers safety Jeremy Chinn agreed to a one-year deal with the Commanders that has a maximum value of roughly $5.2 million, a person with knowledge of the deal said. Washington declined to re-sign Kam Curl before the start of free agency; he remains unsigned, and the odds of his return are now even longer.

Drafted in the second round in 2020, Chinn finished second in defensive rookie of the year voting behind former Commanders pass rusher Chase Young. Chinn had 117 total tackles, one sack, one interception and two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns.

Carolina used Chinn all over. He played a large share of his snaps in the box but also shifted to both safety positions and the slot, blitzed and even helped on special teams. Chinn played the majority of Carolina’s defensive snaps during his first three seasons, but his role was diminished last season. He also missed time because of a quad injury.

“Coming into this season, I thought I wasn’t going to come off the field,” Chinn said in January. “I thought I was going to have a huge role in this defense and be able to leave a large impact. But as the season goes, things change. Definitely was a surprise the way things didn’t end up panning out.”

Washington went from having no veteran pass rushers under contract to having notable depth. After earlier agreeing to terms with Ferrell and Armstrong, the Commanders reached an agreement with edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr., a person with knowledge of the deal said. Fowler is the third former Dallas Cowboys player to reunite with Quinn in Washington, along with Armstrong and Biadasz.

Fowler has three years of experience with Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. after spending the 2020 season with them in Atlanta, then rejoining them in Dallas in 2022 and 2023.

Fowler was a rotational end the past two seasons, registering 10 sacks, three forced fumbles and five passes defended.

Tyler Ott, the former long snapper for the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens, agreed to a three-year deal, two people familiar with the terms said. The Commanders also have long snapper Tucker Addington on the roster.

Ott grew up in Tulsa, which is also the hometown of Commanders punter Tress Way. The two faced off in 2007, when Ott’s high school won the state championship; earlier in the year, Way hit a game-winning extra point in overtime in the teams’ head-to-head matchup.

Ott also reunites with special teams coordinator Larry Izzo, who was the New York Giants’ assistant special teams coach when Ott was their long snapper in 2015.

The former Panthers linebacker agreed to a three-year deal that has a maximum value of $36 million, a person with knowledge of the agreement said.

Luvu signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and bounced on and off the roster and practice squad his first two seasons before bursting onto the scene in Carolina in 2021. He arrived as a reserve linebacker and special teamer but proved himself to be much more, totaling 111 tackles and seven sacks, a pick-six, four passes defended and one forced fumble in 2022. Last season, he had 125 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits, plus five passes defended and two forced fumbles.

Regarded as one of the league’s top pass-rushing linebackers, Luvu has totaled 43 quarterback pressures and 62 run stops since 2022, ranking fourth and 12th, respectively, among linebackers in that span, according to Pro Football Focus.

Ekeler agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $11.43 million, two people with knowledge of the agreement said, giving the team a dual-threat running back after it let Antonio Gibson leave for the New England Patriots.

Ekeler, 28, reunites with Commanders running backs coach Anthony Lynn, who was the Los Angeles Chargers’ coach when he made the roster as an undrafted rookie in 2017 through 2020. Ekeler’s elusiveness out of the backfield and his pass-catching ability should help an offense that last season often appeared one-dimensional.

His 158 catches and 1,158 receiving yards over the past two seasons ranked first and second among running backs in that span, and his 2,701 scrimmage yards ranked sixth.

Washington agreed Monday to a three-year, $33 million deal with Armstrong, two people with knowledge of the situation said. The former Cowboys defensive lineman’s contract is worth up to $45 million with performance incentives.

The Commanders are betting Armstrong will continue growing as he did over six seasons with the Cowboys, whose defense was helmed by Quinn the past three years. He was drafted at just 20 — a fourth-round pick out of Kansas in 2018 — and developed into a solid, versatile rotational edge rusher. Now, Washington is expected to give Armstrong, 26, his biggest role yet as a regular starter.

The question is whether Armstrong can keep producing with more snaps. He had a mini-breakout in 2021 and over the past two seasons complemented the Cowboys’ elite front in 34 games (six starts) with 16 sacks and 17 tackles for loss.

Since 2022, his pressure rate has been an excellent 13 percent, according to the website TruMedia, which is a good sign for the Commanders because pressure rate is a more predictive metric than sacks.

While Armstrong usually lined up on the edges, Quinn occasionally shifted him inside on obvious pass-rushing downs and a couple of times even dropped him into coverage. On tape, Armstrong looks comfortable as a stand-up rusher or with his hand in the dirt.

The question is whether Washington will continue moving him around or ask him to focus on playing as an edge rusher.

Quinn turned to another familiar face to anchor the Commanders’ offensive line. Biadasz, the former Cowboys center, agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with Washington, according to two people with knowledge of the agreement. The 26-year-old fills a significant void up front for the Commanders, who have dealt with a string of injuries and performance issues at center over the past few years.

Biadasz, the son of dairy farmers, was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of Wisconsin. He started all but two games over the past three seasons, allowing only three sacks and earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2022.

The former Kansas City Chiefs guard agreed to a three-year, $16 million deal, one person familiar with the matter said. Allegretti was drafted in the seventh round out of Illinois in 2019 and helped the Chiefs to a Super Bowl LIV win over the 49ers as a rookie.

Allegretti, who has been a part of three total Super Bowl wins with the Chiefs, has played nearly every spot on the offensive line, including in-line tight end, where he caught a one-yard touchdown pass in a wild-card playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in January 2022.

His versatility should be an asset for an offensive line in need of both starters and reserves who can play multiple positions. Over the past two seasons, he’s taken snaps at left tackle, left guard, center, right guard and in-line tight end.

Allegretti started at left guard for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII and played the entirety despite suffering an elbow injury in the second quarter.

McManus agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal, a person with knowledge of the agreement said. He takes over for Joey Slye, whom the Commanders declined to re-sign before he became a free agent.

McManus entered the league as an undrafted kicker out of Temple in 2013. After failing to make the rosters of the Indianapolis Colts and Giants, he was traded to the Broncos in 2014 and thrived (Peters was the Broncos’ assistant director of college scouting at the time).

McManus signed as a temporary replacement during Matt Prater’s suspension, but he took over the starting job and lasted nine seasons with the team. McManus was integral to the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 run, making all 10 of his field goal attempts in the postseason for a franchise record.

McManus was released in 2023 as the longest-tenured Bronco at the time and the last remaining member of their Super Bowl 50 team. He spent the 2023 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, with whom he made 30 of 37 field goal attempts (81.1 percent). Since 2013, McManus ranks third in the NFL with 45 field goals of 50 yards more, trailing only Prater (65) and Justin Tucker (54) in that span.

Zach Ertz, the three-time Pro Bowl tight end and Super Bowl LII champion, agreed to a one-year contract with the Commanders worth up to $5 million with incentives, according to two people with knowledge of the terms. Ertz signed the contract Tuesday in Ashburn.

Washington released Logan Thomas in early March, so Ertz, who was with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona in 2021 and 2022, provides needed experience at the position and familiarity with the offense.

Ertz, 33, spent his first nine years in the NFL with the Eagles and was most recently with the Lions for less than a week during their playoff run. His future in Washington could depend on his health; Ertz has played just one full season in the past five years, largely because of injuries.