Last season, edge rusher Dante Fowler followed his defensive coordinator to the Washington Commanders from the Dallas Cowboys. Signing a one-year deal, Fowler looked to revive his career and find a permanent NFL home.
Washington became his fifth team since he was the third overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Fowler flourished, leading the Commanders with 10.5 sacks, as the team went from four wins in the previous season to 12 in 2024.
He was one of several key contributors to the Commanders’ turnaround. In some aspects, Fowler overshadowed Washington’s other pass rusher signee, Dorance Armstrong, a former Cowboys defensive end.
Fowler’s resurgence reminded many around the NFL why he was a first-round draft pick. However, it appears insufficient to get the type of contract he would like, not from Washington.
In the wee hours of Sunday night, before the league’s legal tampering period, Fowler expressed his frustration over X/Twitter.
“The disrespect. I Can’t take it anymore,” Fowler tweeted.
Fowler’s teammate and fellow free agent, Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown seconded his tweet.
Fowler had big moments during Washington’s memorable 2024 season. He had a 67-yard pick-six against the Carolina Panthers that helped break the game open in a Washington blowout victory. He built on the momentum to collect four sacks throughout two games in Week 9 and 10.
His strip-sack of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix helped the Commanders clinch a playoff berth. After being a situational pass rusher with Dallas, Fowler played 564 defensive snaps for the Commanders.
Despite the regular-season success, Fowler was quiet during the Commanders’ three playoff games. He didn’t record a sack and was also limited to 16 defensive snaps in Washington’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
His efforts on Washington’s first defensive play helped yield a 60-yard touchdown run by Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. Fowler fell down, knocking teammate linebacker Bobby Wagner off his pursuit of Barkley.
One play doesn’t determine a player’s value. However, Fowler’s limitation on early downs undoubtedly impacts his value with teams.
Fowler’s tweet doesn’t definitive detail the situation. Yet, the timing opened the door to speculation.
Meanwhile, the Commanders were linked to multiple pass rushers ahead of the league’s free agency. The names thrown out, Trey Hendrickson, Myles Garrett, and Josh Sweat, have been more consistent and dominant in recent years than Fowler.
Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Cleveland Browns following his trade request, which garnered the Commanders’ interest. Harold Landry reportedly has agreed to a three-year, $46.5 million deal with the New England Patriots, which may be more comparable to Fowler.
Landry had nine sacks with 41 pressures, playing 880 defensive snaps in 2024. According to Pro Football Focus, Landry had a 4.8% pass-rush win rate, the lowest among 64 qualified edge rushers. Meanwhile, Fowler had a 20% pass rush win rate, ranking eighth among edge rushers. He was also 21st in pressure rate.
Returning Fowler is logical if the money works. If his tweet was any indication, the two parties are not on the same page with Fowler’s value.
