Now the Washington Commanders have their quarterback in Carson Wentz, the team will now focus on clearing cap space and tweaking its roster. The top candidate to move on is safety Landon Collins.
Collins will carry a $16.2 million cap hit for the 2023 season. However, the team desires to keep him, but will ask him to take a pay cut, according to ESPN’s John Keim.
If Collins does not agree to a pay cut, Washington will release him. The move would save the team $6.6 million of cap space.
Washington entered this offseason with just over $30 million of cap space. However, trading for Wentz came with a price beyond just a package of draft picks.
The Commanders will pick up Wentz’s full contract. That means they’ll pay him over $28.2 million for the 2022 season, including a $6.2 million roster bonus to be paid next week. Now, Washington must clear up some cap space.
Washington would like to keep Collins. He has fit in nicely to Jack Del Rio’s defense following his transition to the safety/linebacker hybrid role carved out for him midway through last season.
With Collins in the hybrid role, it allows Washington to deploy Bobby McCain, who is a free agent and Washington wants to re-sign, and Kamren Curl in the traditional safety positions.
Essentially it will be Collins’ call. Does he want to stay in the hybrid role or does he desire to move on to a situation where he can play more like a safety? It’s worth noting he hasn’t been all that keen with role adjustment.
Last season he was coming back off a torn Achilles he suffered in 2020. Collins had 81 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games. But a foot injury led to him ending the season on injured reserve for the second straight year.
Landon Collins won’t be the only possible cap adjustment or cap casualty. However, he has the most money to cut down. Making a decision on his situation will have a domino effect for the rest of the roster.
