After last season’s 5-12 finish, one thing is abundantly clear for Washington football fans. The team needs to add a significant amount of talent during the offseason. While Adam Peters will continue to use the draft, the Commanders GM will also have an estimated $82 million in cap space at his disposal after various projected restructures, releases, and dead cap hits. Jayden Daniels is entering his third year, and the clock is ticking on the franchise quarterback’s rookie contract, making this arguably the most critical free agency of the new millennium for Washington. With free agency set to open on March 11th, Hogs Haven will be working to bring you articles on potential targets to fill various positions of need:
Top Needs:
- Edge
- Safety
- Linebacker
- Wide Receiver
- Cornerback
- Tight end
Secondary Needs:
- Running Back
- Defensive Tackle
In each article, we will briefly summarize the team’s current situation at the position, traits the coaching staff will prioritize, along with a list of the top free agents and a detailed look at a few players that fit the team at different projected average annual values (AAV), typically one high-, one moderate-, and one low-cost contract.
Today, we continue our series with Edge defenders.
Position Summary
Currently Under Contract:
- Dorance Armstrong: On last year of 3-year deal.
- Javontae-Jean Baptiste: On year 3 of his rookie deal.
- DJ Johnson: Reserve/futures contract
- Andre Carter II: Reserve/futures contract
Significant Free Agents:
- Von Miller
- Jacob Martin
- Drake Jackson
A quick review shows that this room is barren with no marquee talent under contract. Dorance Armstrong was having a strong year before a season-ending injury and would be penciled in as a starter, but his availability for the season opener is unknown. Javontae-JeanBaptiste has shown some potential as a depth piece, but is also coming off a season-ending injury with an unknown return. DJ Johnson and Andre Carter II signed reserve/futures contracts in January. It is possible they re-sign Von Miller and/or Jacob Martin. Drake Jackson may also be retained as a high-upside, low-cost developmental project.
In a way, it may be good the Commanders don’t have multiple players under contract, as Daronte Jones has implied he will be moving the defense to a scheme that utilizes more 3-4 concepts going forward. This changes the desired personnel type for the Edge position somewhat. The team should be prioritizing quick-twitch, athletic edge players and the Commanders need at least one capable of dropping into coverage out of the pass rush. There is no player currently under contract to suitably fill this role.
Top 2026 Edge Defender Free Agents:
Trey Hendrickson
Odafe Oweh
Khalil Mack
Kwity Paye
Joey Bosa
Dre’mont Jones
Malcolm Koonce
Joseph Ossai
Arnold Ebiketie
K’Lavon Chaisson
Leonard Floyd
Boye Mafe
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Arden Key
A.J. Epensea
Kingsley Enagbare
Dante Fowler Jr.
Boye Mafe, 27, Seahawks
Height/Weight: 6’4”, 261 lbs
Career Stats:
| Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Tackles | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | Pos | G | GS | Int | Yds | IntTD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | FRTD | Sk | Comb | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sfty | AV | Awards |
| 2022 | 24 | SEA | NFL | LB | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 41 | 28 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 25 | SEA | NFL | LB | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 9.0 | 52 | 35 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 6 | |
| 2024 | 26 | SEA | NFL | LOLB | 15 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 6 | |
| 2025 | 27 | SEA | NFL | LB | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 31 | 11 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 Yrs | 65 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 20.0 | 164 | 99 | 65 | 24 | 36 | 0 | 17 | |||||
| 17 Game Avg | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.2 | 43 | 26 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 4 | |||||
Spotrac Projection: 3 years, $36,729.420
AAV: $12.2M
To start our conversation of the Edge market, a reminder that this a priority position, and teams rarely let great players hit the market in free agency, opting to retain or trade if possible. Along those lines, Odafe Oweh and Dre’mont Jones would be desired fits, but I expect their respective teams to either re-sign or franchise them prior to free agency. Trey Hendrickson will most likely join a new team, but at 32 years of age, coming off a core injury, and looking for a top-end deal, I don’t think he fits where the team is right now.
Enter Boye Mafe.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN predicts that the Seahawks will let Mafe test the market this spring, and he should be high on Adam Peters’ list. The newly crowned Super Bowl champ played a significant rotational role in Mike Macdonald’s aggressive scheme but failed to improve on last year’s sack total (9.0), recording only two during the regular season. However, Mafe started the season hot in terms of pressures and didn’t cool down as the season progressed, recording 40 pressures, 2 QB hits, and 36 hurries despite only playing half of the defensive snaps. While pressures aren’t as good as sacks, pressure, especially quick pressure, can be valuable:
Mafe finished the season with a 16.8% True Pressure Score (TPS) win rate and ranked 8th in pass rush win rate, with his 19% PRWR for the season just ahead of Josh Sweat. He can get to the quarterback in a hurry, which is something that the Commanders are lacking. Mafe is also solid in run support, setting the edge with power and playing the run with high football IQ. Over his four-year career, he has only 12 missed tackles during the regular season. Importantly, Boye is also able to drop into coverage out of pass rush if needed.
Mafe is an overall sound player on the edge, who specializes in quick pressure on the quarterback, which should interest Washington in free agency. His value takes a hit due to his drop in sack production and rotational role, both of which can be somewhat attributed to Mike Macdonald’s scheme. If you want to know more about Mafe’s potential, I highly recommend this preseason film review by Alexandre Decastro of SB Nation’s Field Gulls. Boye may not be a game changer, but at a $12.5 million AAV, he offers good value as a well-rounded edge defender that could play a valuable role in Daronte Jones’ defense. The most exciting thing about Maye is that a breakout season might still be ahead of him, instead of behind.
Arnold Ebiketie, 27, Falcons
Height/Weight: 6’2”, 250 lbs
Career Stats:
| Def Interceptions | Fumbles | Tackles | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | Pos | G | GS | Int | Yds | IntTD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | FRTD | Sk | Comb | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sfty | AV | Awards |
| 2022 | 23 | ATL | NFL | OLB | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 30 | 21 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 24 | ATL | NFL | OLB | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2024 | 25 | ATL | NFL | OLB | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 38 | 26 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 26 | ATL | NFL | DE | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 36 | 17 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 Yrs | 67 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16.5 | 129 | 80 | 49 | 17 | 41 | 0 | 11 | |||||
| 17 Game Avg | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.2 | 33 | 20 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 3 | |||||
Spotrac Projection: 3 years, $27,039,672
AAV: 9.0M
Our next impending free agent has quickly become a Hogs Haven favorite, and for good reason. Arnold’s profile reads like a prototype of what Daronte Jones wants out of his Edge players:
- “Quick-twitch” and explosive first step
- Fits best in a 3-4 hybrid scheme, with the ability to play some 4-3 end.
- Has shown himself capable of dropping into coverage
- Athletic (8.91 RAS) with elite explosion and agility
Let’s see it on film:
All this for a $9 million AAV? Fans may want to jump at the bargain, but as usual, there is a catch. Ekibetie has never delivered over the course of a full season. He’s played less than 50% of the team’s total defensive snaps all 4 years, with his production varying and in steep decline last season following the additions of James Pearce and Jalon Walker. Opinions also vary on his ability in run support, but most agree there is room for improvement, and Arnold is mainly considered a pass-rushing threat at this point in his career.
All of this makes for an intriguing mid-level free agent for Adam Peters as a player that could immediately improve the Commanders pass rush. While it was once a foregone conclusion that Arnold would be moving on in free agency, James Pearce’s recent legal issues may make the Falcons reconsider, but if Ebiketie does hit the open market, he will have plenty of suitors for his services. The Commanders should be one of them.
Josh Uche, 27, Eagles
Height/Weight: 6’3, 226 lbs
Career Stats:
| Pass Coverage | Pass Rush | Tackles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | Pos | G | GS | Int | Tgt | Cmp | Cmp% | Yds | Yds/Cmp | Yds/Tgt | TD | Rat | DADOT | Air | YAC | Bltz | Hrry | QBKD | Bats | Sk | Prss | Comb | MTkl | MTkl% | Awards |
| 2020 | 22 | NWE | NFL | LB | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 66.7 | 6 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1 | 109.7 | 2.3 | 7 | -1 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1.0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0.0 | |
| 2021 | 23 | NWE | NFL | LB | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 100.0 | 18 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 91.7 | -0.3 | -1 | 19 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0.0 | |
| 2022 | 24 | NWE | NFL | LB | 15 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 56 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 0 | 118.7 | 2.8 | 11 | 45 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 11.5 | 25 | 27 | 0 | 0.0 | |
| 2023 | 25 | NWE | NFL | LB | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 100.0 | 42 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 0 | 118.7 | 0.5 | 1 | 41 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3.0 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 | |
| 2024 | 26 | 2TM | NFL | DE | 13 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 87.5 | 69 | 9.9 | 8.6 | 0 | 102.6 | 1.4 | 6 | 63 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2.0 | 6 | 23 | 3 | 11.5 | |
| 2024 | 26 | NWE | NFL | LB | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 49 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 0 | 117.7 | 3.8 | 15 | 34 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2.0 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 18.8 | |
| 2024 | 26 | KAN | NFL | DE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 75.0 | 20 | 6.7 | 5.0 | 0 | 85.4 | -1.0 | -9 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.0 | |
| 2025 | 27 | PHI | NFL | OLB | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 5 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 0 | 56.2 | 2.5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 0.0 | |
| 6 Yrs | 76 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 19 | 86.4 | 196 | 10.3 | 8.9 | 1 | 118.9 | 1.5 | 28 | 168 | 65 | 30 | 16 | 1 | 21.5 | 68 | 109 | 3 | 2.7 | |||||
| 17 Game Avg | 17 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 86.4 | 44 | 10.3 | 8.9 | 0 | 118.9 | 1.5 | 6 | 38 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4.8 | 15 | 24 | 1 | 2.7 | |||||
| NWE (5 Yrs) | 58 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 15 | 93.8 | 171 | 11.4 | 10.7 | 1 | 132.0 | 2.1 | 33 | 138 | 54 | 27 | 15 | 0 | 20.5 | 63 | 76 | 3 | 3.8 | |||||
| PHI (1 Yr) | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 5 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 0 | 56.2 | 2.5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
| KAN (1 Yr) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 75.0 | 20 | 6.7 | 5.0 | 0 | 85.4 | -1.0 | -9 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.0 | |||||
Spotrac Projection: 1 year, $1,920,000
AAV: $1.9M
Josh Uche’s double digit sack season with the Patriots seems like a long time ago, but the second-round selection from Michigan is still only 28 years old. His production has diminished over the last few years, with the Eagles looking like another failed stop in his career. Undersized, Uche doesn’t offer much in the run game, but as a pass rushing specialist he could be an effective rotational player as a buy-low free agent.
Uche is best utilized as a 3-4 OLB but has played in 4-3 fronts in New England before being traded to the Chiefs in 2024, with Jerod Mayo citing Uche as a poor scheme and culture fit. Kansas City added him to their rushing attack on the way to the Super Bowl, but after the season Andy Reid admitted he was not a good fit there. The Eagles signed Uche to a budget deal, but he was the odd man out in the edge room, and Philadelphia traded for Jaelen Phillips at the deadline. The Eagles are not expected to re-sign him.
Uche is still an athletic and explosive player, but has never exceeded 40 percent of the total defensive snaps for a season. However, in limited time he can still be effective; according to PFF he recorded 23 total pressures, 1 QB hit, and 1 sack in just 113 pass rushing snaps.
Spotrac projects Uche’s 2026 contract at a team-friendly $1.9 million as he looks for a one-year opportunity that suits his skill set in order to rehab his value. Daronte Jones needs versatile, 3-4 hybrid players that generate pressures and force turnovers. Perhaps the Commanders will finally be the fit that Josh has been looking for since leaving the Patriots.
Bottom Line
Either due to a lack of availability or by conserving their cap resources, I don’t expect the Commanders to sign a top-tier edge defender in free agency. Instead, I think they will sign one or two mid-level options and fill the rest of the room with upside depth players and the draft. Von Miller and Jacob Martin are definitely in the mix to return to the team, depending on price. Both are projected to sign one-year deals: Miller on a $5.8 million pact and Martin on a $2.8 million agreement, with Martin being my preferred choice. Drake Jackson is also a fit for Jones’ theoretic model and could stay on to compete for a roster spot during camp.
Fans will most likely complain about the lack of an elite, ascending talent to the roster but one is in play during the draft via the No. 7 overall selection. The team has too many other needs on the defensive side of the ball to acquire a top edge in free agency, and that is partly why you bring in a new defensive coordinator in the mold of the modern NFL defense — Jones can elevate the pass rush schematically with disguised looks and mixed fronts to create pressure and turnovers. This season, while the defensive roster is still a work in progress, the edge group should be versatile and have the ability to win quickly when called upon, not necessarily to provide elite production.