The Commanders are still actively pursuing a new stadium, but a lot more patience is going to be required from both the team’s leadership and the fan base. 

Speaking on Sunday before the team’s final preseason game, Commanders owner Josh Harris (above) said 2030 is now a “realistic target” for a new facility to open. The team is currently tied to Commanders Field (previously known as FedEx Field) through at least 2027. But additional time is certainly going to be required to settle where a new facility will be located, going through numerous initial steps, and then a construction period lasting at least two years.

“There’s political things that need to occur. There’s land zoning, a whole lot of other things,” Harris said. “A lot of it’s not within our control, so there’s no way to predict a specific date. But I think that’s a reasonable target.”

Among the key pieces out of the team’s control is whether the U.S. Senate will at last approve a bill giving greater control of the federally owned RFK Stadium site to the District of Columbia. The House of Representatives approved the measure in February, but it has been stalled since then. As Harris continues efforts to bring the Commanders out from the prior, embattled Dan Snyder era, he does not expect the RFK Stadium bill to be revisited by the Senate until after the presidential election in November. 

“Everybody’s focused on the election,” Harris said. “So, this is the kind of thing that would have to be part of a series of bills that would go through in the lame duck session. It’s not really realistic to think that’s going to happen before the election.”

The Commanders are part of a group of NFL teams currently looking to develop new stadiums or renovate their current facilities but haven’t yet struck finalized deals, including the Bears, Chiefs, and Browns. In addition to the D.C. conversation centered on the RFK Stadium site, the team continues to be in conversation with officials in Maryland and Virginia. 

No Return to the Old Name

Even as the team might return to its prior site at RFK Stadium, the previous “R” name and logo for the team are not coming back, despite efforts in some corners to revive it. There have been other, less controversial moves to honor the team’s heritage, including a return of gold uniform pants. 

“We’ve been very clear. For obvious reasons, the old name can’t come back,” Harris said. “Right now, we’re focused on things that unify around our football team. … We need everyone supporting the team and not things that might drive people apart.”

Draft Aspirations

Harris, meanwhile, reiterated that he is pursuing hosting rights to a future NFL draft, which has become a blockbuster fan event on the league’s annual calendar and drew a record crowd of 775,000 in Detroit in April. The Commanders’ draft bid is centered in part on holding the event on the National Mall. 

“I think we’re going to get that done,” he said. “We’re talking to the league about it. It’s a question of timing, and it’s going to be a few years off. … Obviously there’s a lot of complexity to it with the [National] Park Service. I’m lifting the covers a little, [and] there’s things that need to get done. But I believe that it will happen. It’s a question of when.”

The NFL salary cap took an unexpected record jump of $30.4 million up to $255.4 million this year, but teams have still been taking their time when it comes to handing out major contracts. 

On Monday afternoon, the Cowboys and star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (above) finally ended their months-long contract dispute by agreeing to a four-year, $136 million extension that makes Lamb the second-highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, according to multiple reports. Lamb’s $34 million average annual salary will fall behind only Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson, who signed a $140 million deal this offseason.

Lamb was set to make $17.99 million in 2024, entering the fifth-year option season of his rookie contract. Contract negotiations had become very public, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones handing out barbs through the press, and Lamb resorting to callouts on social media.

Give Me the Ball, and Some Cash

The Cowboys and Lamb haven’t been the only team and receiver at odds this summer, though. Like Lamb, the 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk and Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase didn’t get a single practice rep in during training camp, as they also seek megadeals well over $100 million each. 

“With wide receivers, there’s a big conversation right now of: Are they being overpaid?” ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller said on Monday’s episode of Front Office Sports Today.

Chase is entering the fourth year of his fully guaranteed $30.81 million rookie deal. The Bengals picked up his fifth-year option that would pay him $21.81 million in 2025. Cincinnati owner Mike Brown has indicated that any extension may not come until next offseason. The receiver returned to practice Sunday, three days after the team’s final preseason game against the Colts on Thursday.

Aiyuk, also entering his fifth-year option season, is scheduled to earn $14.12 million. San Francisco gave Aiyuk permission to seek a trade, but so far no deal has been made.

West Coast Shuffle

The 49ers aren’t dealing only with Aiyuk’s contract dispute. Left tackle Trent Williams, who has been named to the All-Pro first team each of the past three seasons, is set to make $20.9 million. But he is said to be willing to miss the start of the regular season, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, if San Francisco doesn’t rework his contract and make him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL. Buccaneers tackle Tristan Wirfs currently has that mark with a $28.1 million average annual salary.

New deals for Williams and Aiyuk would make it an expensive summer for the 49ers, which already extended Christian McCaffrey to solidify his spot as the highest-paid running back at $19 million a year. Meanwhile, third-year quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for an extension after this season, in which he’ll earn just $985,000.