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Washington Football Team wins offseason despite losing nickname

By Tim Payne

LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 24: A general view of the stadium as a Washington Football Team HTTR flag is waived in the end zone during the second half of the game against the Detroit Lions at FedExField on November 24, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 24: A general view of the stadium as a Washington Football Team HTTR flag is waived in the end zone during the second half of the game against the Detroit Lions at FedExField on November 24, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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ASHBURN, VA – MAY 11: Dwayne Haskins Jr. #7 and Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Football Team take part in a drill during Washington Redskins rookie camp on May 11, 2019 in Ashburn, Virginia. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
ASHBURN, VA – MAY 11: Dwayne Haskins Jr. #7 and Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Football Team take part in a drill during Washington Redskins rookie camp on May 11, 2019 in Ashburn, Virginia. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Systemic organizational change

Breadcrumbs left throughout the offseason have indicated that the massive changes — the hires of Rivera, Donaldson, and Wright, as well as the name change — are indicative of a more systemic impact than prior transitions have during Snyder’s tenure.

The team’s decisiveness in handling the Derrius Guice allegations, their disciplined approach to free agency, the progression of Dwayne Haskins, their seemingly solid draft including Chase Young.

Need I go on? Their massive improvement on social media management, the proficiency with which they have handled the COVID protocols, the ouster of Bruce Allen for performance and a few other executives for their alleged involvement in the sexual harassment of female employees and other women associated with the team, the measured and patient approach to Alex Smith’s comeback (and as an aside, what an insanely, incredibly inspiring beast of a guy is Alex Smith? Unreal.)

The classy way they handled cutting Adrian Peterson a day early to get him a head-start on finding a landing spot, the willingness to cut a FA they had just signed in Sean Davis when he was out-performed by younger guys, and on and on.

And all this in spite of Snyder continuing to be an embarrassment by reportedly sicking private investigators on his accusers and slapping lawsuits on media outlets and former employees. Snyder needs to go, but there are still encouraging signs everywhere else in the organization. And for now, there’s reason to believe some of those signs might actually lead to something good.

Washington won this offseason. More precisely, fans of the WFT won the offseason. Now we can simply hope they win on the field and turn that corner from embarrassment into respectability. And if we REALLY get lucky, maybe they’ll get to shed Dan Snyder and FedEx Field in the next few years, thus purging the last remaining vestiges of the last miserable 25 seasons of failure.

Next. Five takeaways from Washington's roster cuts. dark

Here’s hoping. Hail to the Football Team.

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