Von Miller, Tress Way, Deebo Samuel among the over 30 players from the Washington Commanders 2025 roster set to hit free agency.
While the coaching staff will look vastly different after news broke on Tuesday, day one of the offseason for the Washington Commanders has given some insight into what the offseason might look like as players begin reflecting on a five-win season in a disappointing year two under head coach Dan Quinn.
It also gave several players who enter the offseason with uncertain futures a chance to ponder what may be next for them.
That includes wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who joined the organization back in mid-March after sending a 2025 fifth-round pick to the San Francisco, giving the offense what was expected to be another weapon with a chance to grow under quarterback Jayden Daniels in his second season. While aspirations on offense didn't materialize, Samuel still finished with 72 receptions, his most since setting a career high with 77 in 2021, along with six total touchdowns. Samuel also ended the season leading the team in every receiving category with Terry McLaurin in and out of the lineup, while he did not miss a game for just the second time in his career.
How he factors into next year's plans, though, remain a mystery with Samuel leaving the door open to all possibilities while cleaning out his locker.
"Nothing that I can control right now. We’ll see how it goes. Not too much I can do so at the end of the day, it’s business," he said when asked about his future.
Of course, punter Tress. Way joins Samuel among the over 30 free agents set to head into the offseason, but he also has one more game in a Commander uniform after serving as the NFC's punter in the upcoming Pro Bowl. After opening his career with the Chicago Bears, Way has become one of the franchise's most accomplished punters since 2014, becoming the second Washington punter to earn three Pro Bowl selections thanks to his franchise leading career punt yardage (39,031) among several other categories.
Whether a 13th season with the franchise materializes, though, is one he prefers.
"I would love to come back. I’d love to play next season. I know kind of like at this point in guys careers, when you’ve played as long as I have, it’s kind of a year to year thing. I’m fine with that. But man, I just have so much respect for [Adam Peters] and [Dan Quinn] and so anybody that gets to play for them is very lucky. I’m pretty biased but getting to play for [Commanders special teams coordinator Larry] Izzo is, that’s just second-to-none."
While general manager Adam Peters noted the "big emphasis for us this offseason" to "get younger and faster", veteran Von Miller reinforced his desire to return to the Commanders for a second season if mutual interest materializes. Miller is among the over 30 players set to hit free agency this offseason with several key stay-or-go decisions ahead.
"It was an amazing experience to get to know these guys. I signed two days before training camp. We gelled right away. Not the outcome that we wanted in terms of wins and losses but everything else was A+. The infrastructure here from the athletic trainers to strength and conditioning, coaches, players, all first class."
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin also gave Miller a signed jersey during locker clean out day, a possible indication that the future Hall of Fame pass rusher could land elsewhere in 2026.