Zach Ertz’s 13th NFL season ended when he tore his ACL, but he reportedly doesn’t plan on the injury being the end of his playing career.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that Ertz plans to play in 2026. He is currently rehabbing his injury and, per the report, expects to be cleared for full activity a some point around the start of the regular season.
Ertz’s desire to play is only one part of the equation for getting him on the field for a 14th season. His contract with the Commanders is up, which means he’ll become a free agent in March unless he re-signs with the team in the next few weeks.
Ertz caught 50 passes for 504 yards and a touchdown in 13 games before tearing his ACL last year. He ranks 37th in NFL history with 825 catches.
Commanders Clips
The Commanders are holding onto one of their top reserve offensive linemen.
They have agreed to a new deal with Andrew Wylie, who was set to become a free agent. Multiple reporters confirmed a report by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team that the deal is for two years and is worth $7.5 million with an upside of $10.5 million.
Wylie started 29 games for the Commanders over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but only started five of his 16 appearances during the 2025 season. He spent his first five seasons in Kansas City and started 59 games during his time with the Chiefs.
Left guard Chris Paul is still set for free agency in Washington. Backups Trent Scott, George Fant, and Lucas Niang also do not have contracts for 2026.
The following are PFT’s top 100 free agents for the start of the 2026 league year. The rankings include prospective unrestricted free agents and released players. The list will be updated as events warrant, with signings, tags and re-signings denoted when announced and/or reported. Players released after initial publication may be added and all 100 players initially on the list will still be listed after any additions.
1. Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
2. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones.
3. Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
4. Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd.
5. Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
6. Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
7. Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce.
8. Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson.
9. Jets running back Breece Hall.
10. Packers quarterback Malik Willis.
11. Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean.
12. Seahawks WR/KR/PR Rashid Shaheed.
13. Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker.
14. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker.
15. Colts offensive tackle Braden Smith.
16. Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean.
17. Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe.
18. Packers linebacker Quay Walker.
19. Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal.
20. Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans.
21. Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant.
22. 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
23. Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs.
24. Jaguars running back Travis Etienne.
25. Broncos edge rusher John Franklin-Myers.
26. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
27. Eagles edge rusher Jaelen Phillips.
28. Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
29. Bills center Connor McGovern.
30. Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.
31. Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.
32. Chiefs safety Bryan Cook.
33. Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright.
34. Bills edge rusher Joey Bosa.
35. Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
36. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely.
37. Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh.
38. Steelers offensive guard Isaac Seumalo.
39. Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader.
40. Browns linebacker Devin Bush.
41. Bears safety Jaquan Brisker.
42. Rams safety Kamren Curl.
43. Bills offensive guard David Edwards.
44. Patriots edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson.
45. Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
46. Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor.
47. Chargers offensive guard Zion Johnson.
48. Browns offensive guard Joel Bitonio.
49. Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert.
50. Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone.
51. Panthers center Cade Mays.
52. Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack.
53. Bears safety Kevin Byard.
54. Colts edge rusher Kwity Paye.
55. Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss.
56. Ravens edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones.
57. Browns offensive guard Wyatt Teller.
58. Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad.
59. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner.
60. Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson.
61. Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
62. Cowboys edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
63. Saints linebacker Demario Davis.
64. Panthers running back Rico Dowdle.
65. Falcons edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie.
66. Titans offensive guard Kevin Zeitler.
67. Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins.
68. Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson.
69. Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton.
70. Saints edge rusher Cameron Jordan.
71. Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe.
72. Giants offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.
73. Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk.
74. Browns tight end David Njoku.
75. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
76. Giants offensive guard Greg Van Roten.
77. Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota.
78. Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown.
79. Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata.
80. Bucs linebacker Lavonte David.
81. Bengals guard Dalton Risner.
82. Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
83. Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.
84. Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
85. Jets safety Andre Cisco.
86. Buccaneers running back Rachaad White.
87. Packers edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare.
88. Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen.
89. Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas.
90. Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.
91. Titans tight end Chig Okonwko.
92. Eagles safety Reed Blankenship.
93. Raiders offensive guard Dylan Parham.
94. Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins.
95. Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton.
96. Broncos outside linebacker Justin Strnad.
97. Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco.
98. Colts cornerback Mike Hilton.
99. Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
100. Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has played two games in Philadelphia in his NFL career, losing both. He thinks there’s no tougher place in the NFL to play.
Daniels said in an interview with Sports Illustrated that the fans in Philadelphia deserve credit for the passion they bring, which only makes it harder on opposing quarterbacks.
“I love Eagles fans. I love Eagles fans,” Daniels said. “They just embody what Philly brings. To be able to go out there and play against them, it’s kind of just that thing. Their environment is kind of like the closest thing you can get to a college environment.”
Asked if the fans in Philadelphia give him more fuel, Daniels answered, “For sure.”
“If you go out there, you can beat Philly in Philly, that’s a different type, but their fans bring it,” Daniels said. “Especially as we’re rivals with them in the NFC East. I love playing against them.”
Winning in Philadelphia is high on Daniels’ list of goals for 2026.
Former NFL offensive lineman Tre’ Johnson has died. He was 54.
Via ESPN.com, Johnson’s wife announced his passing in a Facebook post.
“It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that my husband, Tre’ Johnson, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly ... during a brief family trip,” Irene Johnson wrote. “His four children, Chloe, EJ, EZ and Eden, extended family, friends, and I are devastated and in shock.”
A second-round pick of Washington in 1994, Johnson spent nine seasons in the NFL. He played his first seven years with Washington and one with the Browns before returning to Washington for 2002, his last year in the league.
In 1999, Johnson was a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro. He appeared in 93 regular-season games with 72 starts.
We extend our condolences to Johnson’s family, friends, teammates, and colleagues.
On March 21, a delegation led by Tom Brady will stage a flag-football tournament in Saudi Arabia. Multiple NFL players will be participating.
As Brady tells it, it’s not going to be an exhibition or a publicity stunt.
“Honestly, this is, like, real football,” Brady recently said in an appearance on the Impaulsive podcast. “This is real competition.”
The conversation between Brady and Logan Paul seemed to be a fairly basic effort to hype the event by talking shit. Still, Brady’s comments shouldn’t be ignored, as it relates to the potential intensity of the game.
“I’m glad you’re gonna be there,” Brady told Paul, “and I’m glad you’re finally gonna participate in, like, a competition that matters.”
Paul then compared the game to the Pro Bowl. “It’s gonna be way better than that,” Brady said.
In reposting the clip, Brady said this: “I hope people understand the level of competition this game is going to be. If you’re on my team you’re going to be locked in, all out, and we’re going to not just win... but dominate.”
The NFL players, who surely had a hard time saying no to the multi-zero check they’ll be getting, may not have gotten the memo that they’re going to be expected to “be locked in” and go “all out.” There’s an injury risk to any type of football. The more “real” the football and the more “real” the competition, the greater the chance that someone is going to get hurt.
Possibly for that reason, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels — who has been announced as one of the quarterbacks for the tournament — was equivocal when the topic came up during a recent visit to PFT Live.
“I don’t know yet,” Daniels said regarding whether he’ll be making the trip.
Daniels, of all potential players in the game, has the most to lose. Injuries limited him to seven games in 2025. He needs to be as healthy as possible for 2026, the last year before he’s eligible for a market-level second contract.
Yes, insurance is available for the players who will be participating in an event that jeopardizes their 2026 salaries, if they’re hurt while playing. (And if you think injuries during flag football don’t happen, we give you Robert Edwards.) But it’s one thing for Daniels to get his full $4.226 million salary for 2026 if he’s injured while playing flag football. It’s quite another for Daniels to miss playing time this year because of an injury that happens during an activity unrelated to his job.
It’s our understanding that the Commanders and all other teams whose players are going to Saudi Arabia are supporting the effort, in part because they feel compelled both to let their players get an extra bag and to defer to the league’s ongoing effort to make flag football a thing.
But Daniels said it himself: “I don’t know yet.”
After seeing Brady’s comments regarding how “real” the game will be, Daniels may quickly know what he’s going to do.
When the Commanders traded for wide receiver Deebo Samuel last year, it was understood at the time that he was headed for free agency in March of 2026. That day is fast approaching.
Samuel’s contract has officially voided, leaving a $12.3 million cap hit on the Commanders’ books for 2026. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent on March 11.
It’s an open question what kind of contract the 30-year-old Samuel can command in free agency. At times in his career he’s been one of the best wide receivers in football (he was a first-team All-Pro in 2021), but he’s coming off a rather uninspiring season in which he averaged a career-low 10.1 yards per catch.
When the 49ers traded Samuel to the Commanders last year, San Francisco got only a fifth-round pick because the 49ers were eager to get Samuel’s contract off their books. Now Samuel can find out how much every NFL team thinks he’s worth.
There’s one big similarity between the new hires the Commanders made at the top of their offensive and defensive coaching staffs since the end of the 2025 season.
Offensive coordinator David Blough and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones are both stepping into those roles for the first time. That’s a departure from their predecessors, but their lack of experience in their new jobs isn’t something that worries head coach Dan Quinn.
“I felt their vision right away and the energy they have for it,” Quinn said, via Ben Standig of the Associated Press. “I know we may talk of two first-time coordinators, but I also recognize everyone needs their first stop. I really feel like we’re going to set them up to succeed.”
Quinn has a lot of experience as a head coach, which should help balance any learning curve that Blough and Jones go through in their first days trying to establish visions that the Commanders believe will benefit the team in the long run.
Punter Tress Way won’t be leaving the Commanders as a free agent this offseason.
The Commanders announced that they have signed Way to a contract extension on Tuesday. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that it is a one-year deal.
Way entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Bears in 2013 and made his regular season debut for the Commanders in 2014. He has appeared in every game for Washington over the past 12 seasons. He was selected for the Pro Bowl for the 2025 season, which marked the third time he’s been tabbed for that honor.
Way has a net average of 41.7 yards per kick over the course of his career. He’s also 2-of-2 for 38 yards as a passer.
During last week’s Radio Row ruckus, we neglected to mention that the Washington Post disbanded its sports department.
Given the general outcry that was articulated by others far more eloquently than I ever could, I’ll stick with my initial reaction to the news: “What the eff?”
On Tuesday, Commanders coach Dan Quinn met with reporters for the first time since the Post punted its sports section. The team had three empty seats in the front row for the now-absent Post reporters.
Quinn, in a video posted by JP Finlay of NBC 4, noted the empty seats and said he was “bummed” to learn about the decision. “Their presence is missed,” Quinn said.
The accountability the Post brought to sports teams and leagues also will be missed. Reporting regarding former Commanders owner Daniel Snyder helped expedite his forced exit in 2023. More recently, in-depth reporting from the Post potentially sparked a federal investigation regarding a doctor who may have responsibility in connection with the May 2025 death of Colts owner Jim Irsay.
As corporations and oligarchs gobble up more and more independent media, true journalism — finding out the stuff they don’t want us to know — will become more and more rare in sports, because there will be fewer outlets whose employees are not beholden to the rich and powerful.
Which will allow those who are doing things they shouldn’t be doing to keep right on doing them.
