After agreeing to become Washington Commanders' general manager, Adam Peters had a huge job on his hands. The respected front office figure knew that this franchise needed a complete overhaul from top to bottom. What's happened in the first year under his leadership is nothing short of staggering.
Peters gutted the roster, shook up the front office, and found a new head coach. For the first time in decades, there was a ruthless, business-first mindset. He always kept the bigger picture in mind and found the right blend of youth and experience.
The Commanders took off, winning 12 games and locking up the NFC's sixth seed. After beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round, Washington shocked the NFL to its foundations by demolishing the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions on the road to book their place in the NFC Conference championship game.
They've gone from a perennial bottom feeder to a surprising Super Bowl contender in the blink of an eye. This Cinderella story reignited the fanbase and raised hope that the glory days were coming back to Washington following decades of decay.
Peters' presence is a leading force in this franchise regeneration. With this in mind, we chose the five best moves (from a long list) he made throughout his first year as Washington's general manager.
Best moves made by Adam Peters in year one as Commanders GM
Commanders hired Dan Quinn
The speculation linking Ben Johnson to the Washington Commanders' head coaching job last offseason gained significant momentum. He was the favorite with sportsbooks and some fans were convinced he'd be the guy. Perhaps tellingly, that was not an opinion shared by leading insiders such as Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport.
They were right. Things fell apart with Johnson as the Commanders were in the air to meet him. This led general manager Adam Peters to Dan Quinn — a legitimate leader of men who those in power believed was the perfect hire to spearhead this important transition.
Fans adopted a wait-and-see approach. The signs were positive throughout the offseason. Everyone bought in and the culture was much improved. And when competitive action commenced, the results spoke for themselves.
Quinn was the right man for this job. He developed a strong rapport with Peters quickly. They have an aligned vision for the future and are getting full support from Josh Harris' ownership group. This collaboration and stability isn't something the Commanders have had since the early 1990s.
Peters deserves praise for hiring Quinn when most of the media questioned the choice. His experience and ability to inspire provided the spark that propelled the Commanders beyond anyone's wildest expectations.