From 1999 until 2023, the Washington Commanders were seen as having the worst culture year after year. This large block of time in Commander’s history had one common individual at the heart of all the problems, and that was previous owner Dan Snyder. After years of fans and other NFL owners clamoring for Snyder to sell the team, the dream was finally realized last July. Josh Harris and his business partners purchased the team and, in the short time since, have made tremendous moves in favor of the team’s future.
After a dismal 2023 season in which all of Snyder’s staff hires were still in place, Harris decided it was time to clean house after Washington clinched the 2nd overall pick in the upcoming draft. The first move made was the firing of Head Coach Ron Rivera and his staff and the hiring of a GM who could be counted upon to attract the best talent. The man that Harris got for this important position was 49ers Assistant GM Adam Peters who boasts a track record of success building contending teams.
It hasn’t taken long for Peters to gain the trust of the faithful Washington fans. He hired Dallas Cowboy’s DC Dan Quinn as Head Coach, a man who is a proven leader and who has the respect of so many around the league. Peters and Quinn then collaborated to bring in an experienced group of coaches to fill out the staff, including Joe Whitt Jr. as DC and Kliff Kingsbury as OC.
With the coaching staff in place, Peters began to work his magic in free agency with the help of the league’s most cap space available to him. While his signings have not been flashy, Peters has brought in leaders and veterans who know how to win. Even better, every contract has been relatively affordable. Austin Ekeler, Zach Ertz, Dorance Armstrong, Frankie Luvu, Jeremy Chinn, Bobby Wagner, Dante Fowler, Tyler Biadasz, and Michael Davis are just some of the notable names brought in over the last week.
All of these players have said they were attracted to the team because of the new staff and the new owner, with many of them referencing the connection they have to one of the new coaches. Some players have even alluded to Washington not being a preferred destination until the new management arrived, which really speaks to how well the turnover has been since last season ended.
Peter’s work is still far from finished as he still has 6 draft picks to make in the first 100 selections in April. With the signing of quarterback Marcus Mariota, the Commanders are predicted to draft quarterback Jayden Daniels out of LSU due to their similar play style. What Peters has done so far in free agency has been to stock his team up with solid, veteran starters that can provide needed help for a young QB. Ekeler and Ertz are QB friendly players on offense that can bail Daniels out of trouble. On defense, Quinn and Whitt Jr. have brought 3 different players from their time in Dallas that know the system and will make immediate impact.
Peters has been making smart and calculated moves. It has been clear that he has had a plan in place since he was hired, and it is starting to show. Further, the contracts he has given out will not handicap the future at all given the low cost and short time associated with them. I think Commander’s fans have much to be excited about next season.
