Washington Commanders: What Would Make 2024 A Success?

The Washington Commanders are starting anew. Hope springs eternal when a franchise is now under the guise of a new general manager, head coach, and rookie quarterback. The Commanders are talented enough to compete for a wild-card spot this season while watching first-year QB Jayden Daniels establish himself as the franchise quarterback.

The Commanders entered this past offseason desperately needing a fresh start. Now operating under new ownership, head coach Ron Rivera was relieved of his duties after failing to lead Washington to even one winning season throughout his four years in charge. Ex-general manager Martin Mayhew was shifted to the role of advisor after failing to field a consistent contender.

Adam Peters was appointed GM after doing an impressive job in the assistant role with the San Francisco 49ers. The Commanders may have botched their head coaching search. The initial expectation was that Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson would accept the job, but Washington ended up being the last team to fill their head coaching vacancy, opting to promote Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Quinn may not have been Washington's top choice, but he's a strong leader who can take the franchise in the appropriate direction. 

The Commanders reshaped their organization by drafting Daniels with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Daniels has surpassed expectations throughout the summer, and especially aced his first preseason test, completing 2-of-3 passing attempts for 45 yards, including an accurate 42-yard downfield bomb that he audibled to. The dual-threat Daniels also rushed for a three-yard touchdown before making way for backup quarterbacks.

Peters and Quinn have done a fantastic job this offseason setting Daniels up for immediate success. Veteran running back Austin Ekeler was signed in free agency to form a tandem with Brian Robinson Jr. One of the better pass-catching backs of the past decade, Ekeler should quickly endear himself to Daniels in the short passing game.

Peters drafted former Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey with one of his third-round picks. McCaffrey should quickly earn a spot in 11 personnel alongside Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. The tight end room has been completely revamped as well. Second-round rookie Ben Sinnott and veteran Zach Ertz offer Daniels two intriguing options at the position.

Perhaps most importantly, moves have been made to improve what was arguably the worst offensive line in the league last season. The Commanders allowed 65 sacks, the second-most of any NFL team. While Daniels is better suited to offset pressure via his scrambling abilities than Sam Howell was, he'll still appreciate the upgrades.

The interior has been improved by the arrivals of free-agent signings Nick Allegretti and Tyler Biadasz. Rookie third-round selection Brandon Coleman has been receiving the majority of starting reps at left tackle. The offensive line will look significantly different in 2024.

The defensive-minded Quinn will be calling the defense and he brought his secondary coach in Dallas, Joe Whitt Jr., with him to be the defensive coordinator. Upgrades to personnel include defensive ends Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong, who played for Quinn and Whitt Jr. with the Cowboys last season. Veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Jeremy Chinn help round out a defense that also drafted Johnny Newton and Mike Sainristil. Washington has a top-10 defense on paper.

It's been an exciting offseason for Washington. The Commanders may be a bit early in their rebuild to qualify as legitimate postseason contenders, but wild-card contention is firmly within the realm of possibility if Daniels meets his rookie season expectations. 

The Commanders are headed in the right direction.