Report: Commanders Sale Expected 'Soon'; Jeff Bezos 'Likely Out, But Door Not Closed'

The Washington Commanders are for sale, and an update Monday indicated that a conclusion is near.

JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reported that the sale of the franchise is "expected to happen soon, maybe by March" and added that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is "likely out" of the running, though the door is "not closed."

Bezos was believed to be one of the front-runners to buy the Commanders, but Finlay noted that no longer was the case after he reportedly didn't submit a bid for the franchise when proposals were due before Christmas.

"That does not necessarily preclude a Bezos offer from coming in later," Finlay wrote, "though multiple sources said that Dan and Tanya Snyder prefer not to sell their franchise to the Amazon founder."

However, Bezos "has immense wealth in a way no other potential Commanders ownership group can bring to the table" and shouldn't be counted out until another buyer is solidified. Finlay also noted that the 59-year-old "might be a candidate to buy the Seattle Seahawks if or when that team becomes available."

The Commanders also reportedly lost another potential buyer, as Finlay reported that investor Todd Boehly pulled out of the bidding despite being "rumored to be among the non-Bezos front-runners for the team."

The most likely candidate to purchase the franchise could be Josh Harris, who is a Washington, D.C., native and owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. In May, he reportedly led a group that was prepared to pay $5 billion to purchase the Denver Broncos, but it chose not to enter a bidding war with the Walter-Penner Group, which bought the team for $4.7 billion.