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Like most of the NFL at this point, the Washington Commanders are fully in offseason mode. The 2022 season felt like more of the same in Washington, as the team finished 8-8-1 to miss the playoffs. The Commanders have been in limbo for a while now, not bad enough to get top draft picks, but not good enough to be a true playoff contender.
Similar to many in the past, Washington will have some soul-searching to do this offseason. The Commanders have to pick a direction at some point, and the sooner they do so the better. However, that may involve some difficult decisions this offseason.
For the most part, these difficult decisions will come down to creating cap space. While the Commanders currently have about $6.85 million in current cap space, that's not a lot in the grand scheme of things. With Daron Payne, Cole Holcomb and others about to hit free agency, the team could really use some more financial flexibility.
To create that cap room, Washington may have to part ways with some veteran players. One seemingly surefire cut is Carson Wentz, as Washington can save over $26 million with no dead money by cutting him. However, some other potential cut candidates will likely come as more of a surprise.
Without further ado, let's meet the Commanders player who might be the most shocking cut this offseason.
Commanders surprise roster cut: CB Kendall Fuller
A third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Fuller is now in his second stint with Washington. After a solid first two seasons, Washington traded him to Kansas City as part of the Alex Smith trade. Then in the 2020 offseason, he returned to Washington again in free agency.
Across his two stints in D.C., Fuller has been a consistently solid cornerback. In five seasons with the team, he has racked up 276 tackles, 52 passes defended and 12 interceptions. While not a Pro-Bowl corner, he has been more than effective.
That said, there is a chance Fuller could leave Washington once again this offseason. This time, though, it might be via a cut rather than a trade. So, if Fuller has been so solid for the Commanders, why would they cut him?
Well, the biggest reason why they would do so is because of the good ol' salary cap. Fuller carries a cap hit of $11.625 million next season, the sixth-highest of any Commander. If Washington decides to go into a rebuild/retool this offseason, which doesn't seem that unlikely as Sam Howell is entering the offseason as the starting quarterback, it might make sense to move on from some of the highest-paid players on the team.
In fact, cutting Fuller would be very beneficial from a financial standpoint. The move would save the Commanders $8.5 million in cap space, with only a bit over $3 million in dead cap. Those savings are the second-most among any player on the roster, only trailing Wentz.
That's just from a financial perspective, though, as the on-field implications are much murkier. Fuller has been Washington's best corner for a while now, and losing him would be difficult for the secondary. The cornerbacks behind him include Bobby McClain, Danny Johnson and Christian Holmes, which isn't exactly the best group. Though, this is a defense that finished fourth in passing yards allowed this season, so it might not be that bad.
At the end of the day, Fuller's fate likely depends on the direction of the franchise. If the Commanders decide to keep competing, then it obviously makes sense to retain their top cornerback. If they decide to get younger and conserve cap space, then Fuller might be wearing a different uniform next season.
