Fans are excited about the future. The Washington Commanders’ grand rebuilding project began almost immediately after the 2023 campaign concluded. It’s been a frantic few months, but the franchise came out of the other end with a sense of optimism not seen for decades.
Everything looks different. The front office has a new infrastructure. Dan Quinn was hired and appointed an accomplished coaching staff. The playing personnel underwent a major makeover, with general manager Adam Peters turning over half his roster after things became stagnant under previous head coach Ron Rivera.
The energy shift is notable. Washington’s offseason workout program set the tone for the increased standards expected. Anyone not pulling their weight or painting the organization in a bad light won’t be around for long.
This is a sentiment echoed by Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated. The respected insider highlighted the Commanders’ intent to acquire a plethora of established veterans throughout the offseason – something they believe can help enhance the development of their outstanding-looking 2024 draft class for good measure.
“The Washington Commanders’ massive free-agent haul paid dividends in the spring. One thing a new coach can see over his first few months is how players are buying in and carrying the flag for the program he’s trying to put in. And having been in that position before with the Atlanta Falcons, new Commanders coach Dan Quinn arrived in D.C. knowing that he’d need some flag-bearers for what he was trying to build. It’s a big reason why Washington went for volume in free agency—bringing in a massive number of players from across the NFL whom he and new GM Adam Peters saw as fits for what they’ll be trying to build over the next few years.
The hope, from there, would be that a program coming together would quicken the learning curve of Jayden Daniels, Mike Sainristil, Ben Sinnott (Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton when he gets healthy) and the rest of the rookies. For now, though, they hit the break in a good spot.”
– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated
There are some concerns at certain position groups. But this is the correct way to build up this once-proud franchise after it was left to rot under Dan Snyder. Nothing worth having comes easy, but if veteran leaders set the example and younger roster members follow, the Commanders will be well-placed to make improvements next season.
Expecting a deep postseason run is pushing things. This was a four-win team last time around and so many new additions need time to become a cohesive unit. Fans want to see competitive football and a sense of pride in their on-field performance levels. That might be enough for now if a few more wins arrive.
Regardless of how things unfold, to see this sort of enthusiasm and positivity in the media around the Commanders is a nice change of pace. Something special is happening in the nation’s capital. If the same trend continues in the weeks and months ahead, the franchise will become one of the league’s most attractive destinations once again.
This will make things easier for Peters to find the right talent during phase two of his long-term strategy in 2025.