The Washington Commanders had a bad 2025 season, and after last year’s success, this was an extreme disappointment. They dealt with coaching, roster, and injury issues that significantly set this team back. Major work needs to be done throughout the Commander’s roster this offseason, and TE is one of the top issues on offense.
Top TE Free Agent Could Be a Perfect Option for the Washington Commanders
Looking at the injuries this season, star QB Jayden Daniels went down in Week 2 and missed time before returning in Week 5. After that, Daniels played some more, but in Week 9, when the Commanders were 3-5, he suffered a horrible elbow injury.
This really cemented that this season was going to be a bad one for Washington, but what made it even worse was another injury that the Commanders suffered in Week 14. 35-year-old TE Zach Ertz tore his ACL against the Minnesota Vikings. Although Ertz was not a star TE for this team, he was a valued weapon for Daniels.
Now, at his age, given the severity of the injury and the timetable for his return deep into next season, there is a good chance Ertz decides to retire. This would be a hit for the Commanders’ offense and force them to find his replacement this offseason, but even if he plays again, Washington should still do this.
The free agent TEs are a good group of players, and with the Commanders around, some of the top teams in cap space, they can get anyone. According to NFL insider Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports, former Baltimore Ravens TE Isaiah Likely could be an ideal choice for Washington.
After being selected as a fourth-round pick in 2022, Likely had to sit behind star TE Mark Andrews, who finished that season ranked 6th in the PFSN NFL TE Impact Metric. Likely was still able to come in and make an impact.
This has been the case for his four seasons in Baltimore, even when Andrews’ play clearly declined. Likely has 15 touchdowns in his four years, which, for a TE that does not start consistently, is excellent.
READ MORE: Top 100 2026 NFL Free Agent Rankings: Where Do George Pickens, Daniel Jones Rank?
In 2024, Likely was ranked 8th overall among all TEs in PFSN’s TE Impact Metric, and although this past season was a down year, the entire Ravens offense struggled. Teams are going to value Likely’s receiving ability and great blocking.
For the Commanders, he could be a great long-term TE for Daniels, and although this addition would not fix everything, it would be a great start.
