As the new NFL league year begins, so too does another revamp of the Commanders offensive line.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Commanders have informed left tackle Charles Leno Jr. that they are releasing him, a status his wife Jen seems to have confirmed by Tweeting this Friday:
“Charles Leno Jr has officially accepted a new role as a stay at home dad. Nurse Jen activated! Thanks for everything Washington! Y’all have embraced our family with open arms these past 3 years through some super difficult times & we will forever love yall”
Leno, 32, was a seventh-round pick of the Bears in 2014 and has since started 141 of 149 games played in 10 seasons in Chicago and DC. He came to Washington in 2021 on a one-year deal, then signed a three-year, $37 million deal that offseason to return, but ended 2023 on IR (missing the final two games) due to a calf injury and will be released with one year left on that deal.
Leno was due to make $11 million base salary in 2024, with a $15,530,000 cap hit, and depending on whether he is a pre- or post-June 1 cut designation, his release will save the Commanders $7.3 million (pre-June 1) or $11.8 million (post-June 1). He would have a $8.25 million dead cap hit if it is pre-June 1, but just $3.75 million if it is post-June 1.
The Commanders had just restructured Leno’s deal last season, converting $7.5 million of his $9.25 million base salary for 2023 into a signing bonus, creating $6 million in cap space by making the conversion and adding three voidable years to the end of the deal.