NFL free agency heats up as the Washington Commanders prepare to target Tyler Linderbaum to anchor their offensive line and Odafe Oweh to bolster the edge rush. The episode spotlights the new one-hour negotiation window that allows teams to pitch top unrestricted free agents directly, raising the stakes for crucial signings. Can the Commanders reset the center market and reinforce their trenches for long-term success?
Explore strategic insights on Adam Peters’ approach, how market values for elite positions like center are set, and what adding talent like Linderbaum and Owe could mean for Jayden Daniels’ protection and overall defensive pressure. With trade history, contract details, and actionable tips for navigating the frenzy, this episode delivers everything Commanders fans need to gear up for free agency madness.
Join the Everydayer Club today and get Locked On Commanders with no interruptions, members-only Discord access, and more — all for just $5 a month or $50 a year.
📌 Locked On Commanders is your daily podcast for all things Washington Commanders—free and available on all platforms.
🎧 Subscribe + hit the bell for daily updates
💬 Drop your questions and reactions in the comments!
📸 Photo Credits
Images courtesy of USA Today, Bowie TV (YouTube.com/@Bowie_TV), and Abdullah Konte of the Washington Informer (Instagram: @dullahvision)
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
TurboTax
This year you’re getting a major upgrade — Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today.
Indeed
Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast.
Gametime
Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.
FanDuel
FanDuel is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential wins with a College Basketball Parlay Profit Boost. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.
5-Hour ENERGY
Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at 5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
Oh, could this vintage store be any cuter?
Right.
And the best part?
They accept discover.
Accept discover?
In a little place like this?
I don't think so, Jennifer.
Oh, yeah, huh.
Discover's accepted where I like to shop.
Come on, baby.
Get with the times.
Right.
So we shouldn't get the parachute pants?
These are making a comeback.
I think.
Discover's accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide.
Based on the February 2025 Nilsen report.
What's up, everybody?
This is Ross Jackson, one of the hosts of the Lockdown Podcast Network.
And if you haven't heard yet, we started a club and we would love for you to join.
It's called the Everydayer Club.
And one of the things that you get as a member is an ad-free version of the podcast
that you're listening to right now.
It works with whatever podcast app you already used.
Same episodes every day, just no ad.
There's also a member's only group chat for fans of your team, plus a lot more.
You can check it out by tapping the Everydayer Club link in the show notes.
New this year Adam Peters can call up to five players for up to one hour long conversations
and to take advantage of that, Tyler Lindermom should be call number one.
You are Lockdown Commanders, your daily podcast on the Washington Commanders.
Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
This is Lockdown Commanders, part of the Lockdown Podcast, the number one sports podcast network.
And I'm David Harrison, your guy on the ground credential member of the media,
covering the Washington Commanders for WUSA9.
Here with you, five days a week and coming up on today's episode.
Some advice, just friendly advice for how to roll with the punches during free agency.
But first wide Tyler Lindermom needs to be the first phone call.
Adam Peters makes Monday afternoon when all of the shenanigans begin all that coming up on today's episode of Lockdown Commanders.
Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
A quick little short episode, short model episode here ahead of free agency.
New and Eastern time Monday, all of the stuff is kicking off.
But there is a new wrinkle this year, which truthfully I wasn't even really aware of until Tom Pellisero of NFL Network shared it over the weekend.
And this new wrinkled this year is basically what happens in the quote unquote legal tampering open negotiating windows that teams are now permitted to have a video or a phone call with up to five perspective unrestricted free agents for an hour each call.
Now, so what usually happens is players kind of let their agents know here's what I want.
Here's what I'm looking for. Maybe it's a geographical location.
It's a guaranteed start, whatever it is that they're looking for in their next deal.
And then their agents do all the talking to working phones talking to GM's trying to bid one against the other all that kind of stuff.
And the player basically gets told eventually, hey, you know, if you're some players get told, hey, here's our two or three options, which one do you want to take.
Some players just get told, hey, here's your deal. This is who you're in sign with, you know, it just kind of depends on a case to case basis.
But now starting this year, Adam Peters, for example, gets 60 minutes to pitch to that player or to finalize with that player himself.
Do this conversation one on one pitch Dan Quinn if they don't already know and pitch Jayden Daniels and everything that's going on with the Washington mayor's and it's a chance to basically come in and close the deal and have that one to one conversation.
I think it's really cool.
Thanks really intriguing.
Not sure how big of an influence it's going to have.
It's certainly going to be a topic of conversation.
I believe when we meet up in Phoenix with Adam Peters and all the other NFL GM's and coaches for the NFL league meeting, but something to be aware of.
So I thought as we got ready for free agency here Monday afternoon, I would give you my number one call on offense, my number one call on defense.
Here are the two guys.
Adam Peters text me this morning says, Hey, David, which two guys do you think I should call to take advantage of this rule.
He's not going to.
But if you were, I would say call number one needs to be Tyler Linderbaum.
Look, this is a player that we've been talking about and around.
I don't know that I've ever actually directly like mock, mocked my name and three mock off seasons.
I don't know that I've ever picked Tyler Linderbaum to be the new commander center in a single mock off season so far because Adam Peters.
I would say kind of an unfair history and taking the big swing in free agency now last year.
You took two big swings, right?
Debo Samuel and Laramie tonsil specifically, but they were trades.
They were not free agent signings and that's just kind of how we work as a society or as a community that follows the NFL.
We've yet to see Adam Peters take that really big swing at a top of the market free agent.
However, this year we are anticipating that to be a little bit different.
Doesn't guarantee that Linderbaum is going to be the commander's next center, but I would tell you I'm about 99.5% certain that Adam Peters is going to have that phone call with Tyler Linderbaum or his representatives.
I would say obviously here Adam Peters needs to get on the phone with Tyler specifically have that conversation talk about how he can help protect the franchise quarterback.
Do all of these things Linderbaum is still fairly young, you can talk about marrying him and Jane Daniels for the next 10 years.
If these two guys can say healthy and execute again, he is the number one center.
This off season, he is looking to reset the center market. I should say he's going to reset the center market, even if he returns to Baltimore, the Ravens have already let everybody know they have offered him a market setting deal.
Now the market right now is $18 million a year on average. I think $20 million is the floor. I've seen some people say they think he could be had for 20 million. I think 20 millions of floor.
I think honestly this thing could get upwards to 25 million. I'm not saying it's going to hit 25 million.
But I think that if a bidding war happens, it could get up to anywhere from 22 25 million. I don't think that 20 million is the ceiling. I think that is the floor.
We'll see. To be quite honest, I've never really gotten all that deep into center markets before this whole situation in Tyler Beodish getting released.
But I think that this isn't a luxury pick. This is absolutely a move that I think Adam Pierce make it this if you're going to have a first splash signing a first dive into the deep end of the free agent pool.
This would be a really good one follow it up following up the trade last season for Larry McTunsell. Obviously you have that extension, likely coming soon.
Sam Cosmonds under contract Josh Connerley on a rookie deal. So you have one of your book and tackles on a rookie deal. Take advantage. Take a big swing on the offensive line again. If you're good in the trenches, you're going to be good as a team more often than not.
So go get as good in the trenches as you possibly can defensive priority. My first call in the defensive side of the ball.
Odefe Oh, again, you want to hit the trenches. I think the edge is incredibly important part of that whole equation.
So once you have that offensive anchor secured in the middle of the offensive line defensive. It's interesting because we all kind of look at say who is the nose tackle?
Who is the defensive anchor on the interior, Doron pains on his last year of his contract. And you know, if you're reading the writing on the wall, it's looking like Doron pains last year in Washington, Javon Kinlaw, like there's been talking to Dan Quinn about him move into being a big and I think everybody's going to shift rotate like Javon's going to play inside and outside.
Doron's going to play three tech. You might even see Doron play a little bit of five tech play somewhat outside, but I think that edge position absolutely has to get improved the only guy you had last year.
He was really working on a great consistent clip was Doron's arm strong. He ends up lost from the season in the injury. This is going to be his first year back.
We talked about time and time again that first year back doesn't usually pan out to be just return to form. Usually it's just get things kind of back rolling second year is where sometimes guys are able to return to form.
Yeah, Dietrich wise junior lockdown big and Javon Kinlaw again could be a potential big end. You need another past rush or Odefeo way.
I think it's not going to break the bank, but you're going to have him out there and he's going to be playing alongside Frankie Louvue playing alongside maybe another Jack linebacker or something like that who can kind of go out there and take advantage.
Johnny Newton and it is a three tech like you have a past rush package that has a lot of speed a lot of athleticism and a lot of ability to Odefeo way again.
He's been one of my top targets for this team off for agency long and I think you got to get on the phone with both of those guys Tyler Linderbaum Odefeo way.
Interestingly enough soon to be former Baltimore Raven if Tyler Linderbaum does get signed away here this free agency period. There is still reports that he could return to Baltimore, but he's going to test the waters.
See what's out there and then Odefeo way coming from Los Angeles Chargers, but before that Baltimore Raven. Hey, look, the Baltimoreians have had a lot of success over the last decade plus.
So I mean, I know that the things didn't go well for them last year.
Harbaugh is now in the division with the New York Giants, but bringing into of his former guys certainly could be a move to help get the Washington commanders back on the right track.
Now as we watch the commander strike you back on the right track, there are four pieces of friendly advice that I have for everybody watching all this stuff go on things I have to remind myself about from time to time as well.
So I thought I would share as we get ready for all the free agent craziness to start Monday on noon or Monday at noon Eastern here on lockdown commanders part of the lockdown podcast network your team every day.
And today's episode is brought to you in part by indeed sponsored jobs workplace chaos deadline stacking up inbox overflowing and the one position you have to fill is still sitting open when the pressure is on.
And you need the right hire this is a job for sponsored jobs indeed sponsored jobs helps you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for skills experience location.
So you're not just hoping the right candidate stumbles across your post and here's a stat that tells it all in the minute that we've been talking companies like yours made 27 hires on indeed according to indeed data worldwide.
So if you're hiring spend less time searching and more time interviewing the candidates who check all your boxes giving you less stress less time spent and more results when you need the right person to cut through the chaos.
This is a job for indeed sponsored jobs and listeners of this show get a $75 sponsored job credit to help your job get the premium status that deserves at indeed dot com slash podcast just go to indeed dot com slash podcast right now support the show by saying you heard about it on this podcast indeed dot com slash podcast terms and conditions.
Apply need to hire this is a job for indeed sponsored jobs today's episode up locked on commanders also brought to you by game time we live in a world where you can literally stream.
Anything you can order food in minutes you can carry super computers in your pocket and somehow buying tickets to live events still feels complicated hidden fees jumping prices endless steps there has to be a better way.
There is and that's why I use the game time app it gives fans it gives consumers the advantage it makes getting tickets simpler whether it's games concert shows comedy whatever it is that you're into you jump into the app.
Check out the tickets you're upcoming event and you honestly can book these things in just minutes I've done it and every time I travel for work I do I probably see like what's going on in my area that I'm going to be in this week or weekend or whatever it is and it's always easy.
I can see my view from my seat I can get zone deals which are even cheaper you let the app pick the seat while you pick the zone two taps you've got great seats take the guess we're going to buy tickets download the game time app create your account use the code locked on for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create your account redeem code L O C K E D O N for $20 off download game time today.
Thank you for making locked on commanders your first listen or your first view today into those of you who come through every single day for every single episode every day is I appreciate you for coming through for yet another one today and if anybody out there has yet to check out the every day or club I want to ask you to please do so today locked on commanders dot super cast dot com is where you can go to check out the every day or club or simply locked on podcast dot com slash every day or either way.
You can get to the same location headed locked on commanders portal and you have two options you have the membership tier where you add free episodes you also get access to the discord community what's great about the discord community is you don't just get access to the locked on commanders discord you access to the entire locked on discord channel so whatever team if you're a fan of the nets the Orioles the Maryland Terrapins I mean you are the Lakers that doesn't matter you whatever team you are a fan of if there is a locked on show.
For it there is a discount discord channel for it and you get access to all the discord channels not just like I said the Washington commanders then you have the all access member tier as well where you all that and you get some extra stuff including discounts or a merch store and a daily newsletter so again every day or club locked on podcast dot com slash every day or the link in the show notes the promo code free agency all one word you get one month for free thank you to all of you who have taken advantage of that promo code here this period and for all those who will consider it.
In the near future i've got four rules that I try to keep in mind myself every free agent period every time this whole dance starts and get started so I thought I would share them here as we prepare for noon eastern Monday afternoon for all the things that are going to come along with the rule number one is that it takes two or even sometimes three to tango it's not just on your favorite teams general manager to get a deal done a player has a lot of options a lot of reasons for why they want to sign with a specific team sometimes geographical location.
Matters a lot there are a lot of factors to this thing so just because a player you wanted your team to sign doesn't sign with your favorite team does not necessarily mean your general manager didn't quote unquote do their job rule number two patience over panic not every banger not every all pro signing not every future key member of a super bowl team is signed in the first 30 minutes or even the first hour or even the first day it might be day two when you hear about your favorite team signing or agreeing to sign a certain player and then.
six seven eight months from now a year from now even you're talking about how that guy was such a key part of the team in the new NFL season so a little bit of patience will help the stress levels stay down but where of the clickbait that is rule number three there's a lot of accounts out there there's a lot of people sharing a lot of stuff understand who you reliable people are understand who the reporters you can trust are the most and lean on them maybe stay off the community pages sometimes during this time everybody wants to share everything we want to over communicate.
Sometimes and usually that's a good thing during times like this it can be very very dangerous and then finally for Washington commanders fans new staff new vision everything's a little bit different we don't know what David blouse often it's going to look like we think we know but we don't know we don't know what Dorontay Jones defense going to look like we think we know but we don't know so with a player get signed and you say what's this guy doesn't make any sense for what I think is about to happen just remember we don't know.
What's about to happen with the Washington commanders offense and defense overall all that stuff so for simple rules for watching free agency again I try to remember these rules myself as I cover this team so I thought I'd share them with you as you get ready to go on this ride with me here free agency 2026 kicking off noon eastern Monday afternoon and I'm going to be here with you through it all will be dropping some short videos will be dropping some episodes will be doing all of that so make sure you are subscribed follow along with locked up
commanders so you get all the latest when it drops if you never missed an episode the everyday club is built for you franchise or the the code is free agency not I don't even know I was going to franchise free agency all one word is the promo code if you have not signed up yet check it out locked on
commanders dot supercast dot com to do that today that promo code good through March 15th go out free getting the conversation on discord and so much more to the everydayers I see you I appreciate you every single day and I thank you for coming
through yet again today and to everybody out there thank you for making a lock down the number one sports podcast network and till next time please stay safe please be kind we will talk
again real soon right here on locked on commanders part of the locked on podcast network your team every day.
More from Locked On Commanders - Daily Podcast On The Washington Commanders