Malaesala Aumavae-laulu

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Washington secured solid depth value by bringing back Malaesala Aumavae-laulu on a one-year, $1.1M deal that earns a C+ CVI — a fair market price for experienced offensive line insurance. The Commanders are paying replacement-level starter money for a veteran who provides exactly that: reliable depth with spot-start capability when injuries inevitably strike the offensive line. At 28, Aumavae-laulu sits in the sweet spot for backup linemen where his body can still handle the physical demands while his experience allows him to step into multiple positions along the front. The short-term structure carries minimal risk for Washington, giving them flexibility to evaluate younger talent while ensuring they won't be caught completely unprepared if their starting tackles falter. This represents smart roster management rather than a flashy acquisition — the type of unsexy but necessary move that keeps offensive lines from becoming a disaster when depth is tested.

Performance Analysis

Malaesala Aumavae-laulu enters the 2026 offseason as a below-average option at offensive tackle, with a D- performance grade that places him firmly outside the conversation for meaningful snaps at this level. In just two games of action across two NFL seasons, he has produced next to nothing statistically, offering Washington virtually no evidence of starter-caliber potential or even reliable rotational value. The limited sample size is itself the story here — two seasons in and still operating at the margins of an NFL roster is a damning indictment for any player, regardless of draft pedigree. As a sixth-round pick out of the 2023 draft — taken 199th overall — expectations were never sky-high, but the expectation for a second-year player on a rookie scale contract is at minimum to carve out a defined role, and that has not happened. The mediaFraming surrounding him is appropriately muted: neutral fan perception, minimal beat coverage, and no headline-generating moments in either direction, which for a player fighting for roster security reads more as stagnation than quiet development. Washington's offseason activity along the offensive line — including the signing of OT Foster Sarell — signals the organization is actively adding competition at his position group, which further clouds his path to a guaranteed roster spot heading into the 2026 season. At 26 years old, the developmental runway that typically buys patience for a young lineman is beginning to narrow, and without a significant training camp performance, his place on this roster looks precarious.