Adam Peters Faces Draft Capital Deficit in 2026 Offseason Flexibility Rankings

With free agency around the corner, the Washington Commanders have among the most cap space in the NFL right now, with more room coming if general manager Adam Peters can get an extension done with offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil before Monday.

Why the Tunsil Extension is Adam Peters' Top Priority

While Monday isn’t a deadline to get an extension done, in general, if Peters is going to maximize the savings against the 2026 cap to the fullest extent, it would make sense for the Commanders’ GM to try and get the deal done by then.

Because, as it stands today, NFL.com ranks the resources Washington has at its disposal this offseason as around the middle of the pack, compared to the rest of the league.

In fact, with the fifth-most cap space yet the 26th-ranked stock of draft capital, the Commanders rank 13th, behind teams like the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters talks with Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Analyzing Zak Koeppel’s Combined Flexibility Rankings

“To get a sense of which NFL teams are entering free agency frenzy with the greatest overall flexibility, I have incorporated both 2026 cap space and 2026 draft capital into a combined flexibility ranking below, with analysis provided for the top five teams,” NFL researcher Zak Koeppel said in his analysis for the league’s media site.

“A couple [of] notes: Draft capital includes all seven rounds, with pick values derived from Over The Cap's Fitzgerald-Spielberger trade-value chart (including projected compensatory picks via OTC, since the NFL hasn't officially announced those yet).

“Draft capital rankings reflect agreed-upon trades where possible, even if those trades cannot yet be made official. Cap space rankings reflect player movement as accounted for by Over The Cap.”

How a Lack of Draft Capital Impacts the Commanders’ 2026 Strategy

Peters traded the Commanders’ second and fourth round picks this year to the Houston Texans as part of the deal that brought Tunsil to the team in the first place. Because of that trade, and even though Peters added the San Francisco 49ers’ sixth-rounder this year, Washington ranks near the bottom of the league in draft capital. Only two picks in the top 100 and one in the top 50 will do that.

Only the Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons have worse draft outlooks.

That means Peters, the Commanders, and the rest of those teams are in a position where they need to make big moves in free agency, unless trades to increase that draft capital stockpile are in the works.

Having the fifth-most cap space, at least at the time of this ranking, helps with that cause, and the presence of several high-value free agents in this year’s market provide an opportunity for Peters to make sure that when the draft comes in April, he doesn’t need anything better than the 26th ranked cache of picks to get his team back into the postseason in 2026.