The Washington Commanders were among the NFL leaders in salary cap space. Washington could make more moves to create additional space and, on Friday, the Commanders released left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and tight end Logan Thomas to free up additional cap space ahead of free agency.
Washington also plans to release center Nick Gates once the new league year begins on March 13.
The moves leave the Commanders without a starting left tackle and tight end. Of course, these moves weren’t surprises. General manager Adam Peters has a plan for both positions.
Washington fans were often critical of Leno — too critical. Yes, the offensive line was a weakness under former head coach Ron Rivera, but Leno was a solid player. He just wasn’t Trent Williams. That’s the biggest knock against him.
In addition to being in the lineup every week, Leno was a standout off the field, too. Leno and Thomas were remembered fondly by several fans Friday after they were released.
The reality is, both players are over 30 and dealing with — or have dealt with injuries. The Commanders needed to upgrade both positions.
How did Twitter react to Washington’s moves on Friday?