Commanders Free Agency: Boye Mafe and Odafe Oweh Headline Edge Rusher Wishlist

With more than $80 million in projected cap space entering free agency, Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters has the assets to make big moves and remaining needs in his edge group to justify them happening there.

With Deatrich Wise Jr. and Drake Jackson coming back to the Commanders with new deals agreed to this week, the edge group has a solid foundation that also includes Dorance Armstrong Jr., who is projected to return in 2026 from the knee injury that ended his Pro Bowl-paced season prematurely.

Still, operating on what is known, not what is hoped, as Peters communicated he likes to, Washington is lacking upside at the edge group and the firm presence of players known for finishing at the quarterback position in 2026. These three names could help change that status, beginning Monday.

Why Odafe Oweh is the No. 1 Edge Target in Ashburn

Los Angeles linebacker Odafe Oweh (98) celebrates his Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward (1) sack during the second half of their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TARGET NO. 1: EDGE ODAFE OWEH, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Oweh left the Baltimore Ravens to head west, and now could be headed back all the way east to his former team’s geographical neighbor by joining the Commanders.

While he isn’t everyone’s top edge rusher in this year’s free agent class, Oweh brings the best combination of proven ability, youth to still reach new heights, and a price tag that’ll make the gamble worth the risk.

Defensive line play is rotational, and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones plans on being multiple in his fronts. Adding Oweh to the mix with Wise and others gives Jones a modular defensive front that can take on any shape he needs it to, to combat every opponent.

Can Adam Peters Secure Trey Hendrickson’s Pass-Rush Juice?

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) watches a replay as the Detroit Lions celebrate a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. The Bengals continued a losing streak, falling 37-24 to the Lions. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TARGET NO. 2: EDGE TREY HENDRICKSON, CINCINNATI BENGALS

While older, the upside with Hendrickson is undeniable. While I don’t blame Peters for offering up No. 7 and next year’s first-round pick for edge rusher Maxx Crosby if that were ever an option, I do expect Peters to have at least a conversation with Hendrickson’s people.

The veteran played only seven games in 2025 due to injury, but the prevailing theory is that the outcome was influenced by his lack of desire to remain on the Bengals roster and the disrespect he felt from the organization.

If his health isn’t a major concern moving forward, he’s going to want the pay day he thought Cincinnati should have given him from Peters or another general manager.

While I believe Peters will have a hard line he won’t cross, the conversation will likely be had, and when Hendrickson was on the field last year, the juice off the edge that he provides was still very evident.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) during the second quarter against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

TARGET NO. 3: EDGE BOYE MAFE, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

After four years with the Seahawks, Mafe is set to hit free agency as a Super Bowl Champion who has recorded 20 sacks in his career.

15 of those sacks came in 2023 and 2024.

In 2025, Mafe’s snap count hit the lowest mark it has since his rookie season in 2022, and he started just four games after starting 27 the two years prior.

Some of that was due to a deep edge rotation used by Macdonald that featured veterans DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu, among others, but his reduction to a situational pass-rusher raised questions about Mafe’s long-term viability and, hence, his status as a pending free agent.

If Jones sees the potential in Mafe and believes he can help the edge generate that two-year stretch of production more consistently, then this option is cheaper than the others, with a level of uncertainty that can’t be ignored.

The Jonathan Greenard Reunion: Will the Commanders Make the Trade?

Sep 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) celebrates a sack during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

BONUS TARGET: EDGE JONATHAN GREENARD, MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Greenard is with the Vikings, where Jones just came from, and the coach has been part of the staff that helped the player reach his best on the field.

The rumored trade value for Greenard is a Day 2 pick, and with just one of those this year, that’s not a small ask. However, I can’t help but wonder whether the Commanders would take on more financial liability than required by a basic trade if that ask could be lowered. If not, then a potential Day 2 pick in 2027, conditionally based on Greenard’s performance in Washington, could be the key to unlocking a trade and reuniting player and coach in the DMV.