Much of the attention that the Washington Commanders have been getting this offseason is what the franchise will do with the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
While that is no doubt one priority for new head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters to work through, another is what the team does with its impending free agents.
One such player is safety Kamren Curl who has developed into one of Washington's cornerstone pieces on defense. With Joe Whitt Jr. now tasked with taking the defense and transforming it from one of the league's worst units, into a more well-rounded one, which starts with retaining star players, like Curl.
"Dan Quinn has a monumental task in front of him in fixing the Commanders’ defense," PFF writes. "That unit allowed the most points in the NFL and finished with the third-worst overall grade. Finding young cornerstones will be a top priority for Quinn in his first year in Washington.
"One of the few bright spots is safety Kamren Curl. He took a step back after a stellar 2022 but still had a respectable season amid the discourse taking place around him. Before the team started selling pieces off after Week 8, Curl owned the 11th-best overall grade among qualified safeties. He’ll be just 25 years old next season. Quinn should make his retention a priority."
With the Commanders undergoing significant change this offseason with coaches and now personnel, the franchise will need players to build around. Curl qualifies as that and has been a beacon of production since being drafted by Washington in 2020.
While much of the focus has been on which quarterback the Commanders will take to lead them into this exciting new era, what can't be forgotten about is the players who are set to hit the free agent market like Curl.
Washington's salary cap room, which is one of the league's biggest, will likely ensure that Curl remains a Commander as one of the stars of the defense, he simply can't be allowed to walk out the door.
The Commanders have a host of decisions to make this offseason, and while selecting a quarterback is no doubt important, retaining the services of Curl looms as a critical part of the franchise's future planning.
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