{"id":850469,"date":"2026-04-03T01:53:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T01:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/850469\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T01:53:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T01:53:36","slug":"nfl-free-agency-rumors-washington-commanders-could-land-former-18-million-former-veteran-cleveland-browns-center-in-2026-to-bolster-rotation-nfl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/850469\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL free agency rumors: Washington Commanders could land former $18 million former veteran Cleveland Browns center in 2026 to bolster rotation | NFL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"NFLWashington Commanders G Samuel Cosmi (Image via Imagn) The Washington Commanders are expected to look at the veteran market again as they build their roster for the 2026 season. One clear area of need is the offensive line, especially at center, where they still lack stability.Ethan Pocic is one of the names being discussed. He played the last four seasons with the Cleveland Browns and is now a free agent after finishing a three-year deal worth about $18 million. Many believe Washington could target him on a short-term deal.<\/p>\n

What a potential Ethan Pocic deal with Washington Commanders could look like<\/p>\n

If Washington Commanders sign Ethan Pocic, the deal will likely be short and simple rather than long-term. \u2022 Contract structure: One-year deal with some guarantees and incentives based on games played and performance \u2022 Expected value: Around $4-$6 million \u2022 Cap situation: Washington has enough space to add a player like this without affecting future plansThis type of deal would limit risk for the team. It would also give Pocic a chance to return as a starter after his injury.<\/p>\n

Why this move makes sense for all sides<\/p>\n

Washington Commanders\u2019 perspective<\/p>\n

Right now, journeyman veteran Nick Allegretti is penciled in at center, with Julian Good-Jones providing depth on the interior. Allegretti played just 260 snaps in 2025 and projects more as a stopgap than a long-term solution.Adding Ethan Pocic would help in a few ways: \u2022 More experience at center \u2022 Better protection for quarterback Jayden Daniels \u2022 A short-term fix while the team looks for a long-term optionWashington Commanders have been careful with how they structure contracts, so adding a mid-level veteran fits their approach.<\/p>\n

Ethan Pocic\u2019s perspective<\/p>\n

\"Cleveland<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns center Ethan Pocic (55) (Image via AP Photo)<\/p>\n

For Pocic, this is about getting back on the field and proving himself again. \u2022 He is coming off an Achilles injury from late 2025 \u2022 He is expected to be ready around August 2026 \u2022 He needs a team where he can compete for a starting roleIn 2025, he still played well. He logged 826 snaps, allowed only two sacks, and gave up 14 pressures.<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns\u2019 perspective<\/p>\n

The Cleveland Browns seem ready to move on. \u2022 They are looking at younger players like Luke Wypler \u2022 Letting Pocic go frees up cap space \u2022 It helps them plan for the future on the offensive lineThey lose experience but gain flexibility.<\/p>\n

Player profile snapshot (2026 outlook)<\/p>\n

NameTeam (2026)AgePositionExperienceNotes Ethan Pocic Free agent 30 Center 10 years 97 career starts; 2025: 826 snaps, 2 sacks allowed; recovering from Achilles injury Nick Allegretti Commanders 30 C\/G 8 years 2025: 260 snaps; seen as a stopgap Julian Good-Jones Commanders 27 C\/G 6 years Depth option with some starting experience Jayden Daniels Commanders 25 QB 3 years Important season ahead<\/p>\n

Comparing Ethan Pocic and Nick Allegretti: 2025 performance<\/p>\n

MetricEthan Pocic (CLE)Nick Allegretti (WAS) Games started 13 Limited starts Snaps played 826 ~260 Sacks allowed 2 Multiple sacks and pressures Overall grade Around average among centers Below average Injury status entering 2026 Recovering from Achilles HealthyEthan Pocic clearly offers more stability, especially in pass protection.<\/p>\n

Pros and cons of signing Ethan Pocic<\/p>\n

Pros for Washington Commanders<\/p>\n

\u2022 Better option at center right away \u2022 Low-risk contract \u2022 Veteran presence for a young offense<\/p>\n

Cons for Washington<\/p>\n

\u2022 He will be 31 before the season \u2022 Injury history is a concern \u2022 Not a long-term solution<\/p>\n

Evaluating the move for Pocic<\/p>\n

CategoryUpsideRisk Career Chance to start again May not stay long-term Health Time to recover properly Injury could affect play Value Can rebuild reputation Limited earnings on short deal<\/p>\n

My final thoughts on this mock signing: Who benefits the most?<\/p>\n

Washington benefits the most if this deal happens. They get a reliable center without making a long-term commitment.Pocic gets a good chance to prove he can still start. Cleveland moves forward with younger players and more cap space.Also read: NFL trade rumors: New Orleans Saints could potentially re-sign $18,760,000 defensive veteran to avoid financial risk ahead of offseason<\/a>This move helps all sides, but it is mainly a short-term fix for Washington.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Washington Commanders G Samuel Cosmi (Image via Imagn) The Washington Commanders are expected to look at the veteran…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":850470,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2069],"tags":[427,71548,116417,7,6,89225,116419,855,111,116418,2480],"class_list":{"0":"post-850469","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-washington-commanders","8":"tag-commanders","9":"tag-commanders-quarterback-jayden-daniels","10":"tag-ethan-pocic-commanders","11":"tag-football","12":"tag-nfl","13":"tag-nfl-free-agency-2026","14":"tag-veteran-center-nfl","15":"tag-washington","16":"tag-washington-commanders","17":"tag-washington-commanders-center","18":"tag-washingtoncommanders"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116338283142308914","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/850469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=850469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/850469\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/850470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=850469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=850469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=850469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}