Nick Gates’ time in Washington has come to an end. A year after Gates bolted the New York Giants for a three-year, $16.5 million contract ($8 million guaranteed) the Washington Commanders have informed the versatile interior offensive lineman that he will be released when the league year starts in mid-March.
Gates played 44 games, including 29 starts, for the Giants from 2019 to 2022. He returned in 2022 after a gruesome leg injury, playing in 10 games and starting eight.
The Commanders signed him last offseason to be their starting center, hoping he would anchor their offensive line. Things did not work out as hoped, however. Gates played in 13 games, with 10 starts. He was replaced in the starting lineup midway through the season.
The Commanders will still owe Gates $1.99 million in guaranteed salary when they cut him.
While Gates was a popular player in both the Giants’ locker room and the fan base, at first blush a reunion with the Giants seems unlikely.
While Gates can play all three interior offensive line positions and the Giants will spend the offseason trying to improve both the starting line and the depth, they seemed to make little effort to keep Gates a season ago. It is hard to see that changing this time around. Gates, though, did finish the 2023 season with a respectable 66.1 Pro Football Focus grade. The only Giants’ offensive lineman with a higher grades was Andrew Thomas (76.1).
