Commanders' salary-cap space
Adam Peters was calculated during his initial roster makeover. The general manager turned over around two-thirds of the Washington Commanders' playing personnel, and he did it without jeopardizing the long-term financial flexibility.
The Commanders head into the offseason with $75.21 million in available salary-cap space with 46 players under contract. They have decisions to make regarding their out-of-contract players first, but this sum should ensure Washington becomes a big player during the recruitment period.
Peters won't be reckless. He's always thinking two steps ahead and won't deviate from his long-term strategy. At the same time, there's an urgency to maximize Jayden Daniels' rookie contract before things get much more expensive.
Having this money to spend is a bonus. Peters has been around enough winning franchises to know what more is needed. The front-office leader must spend this wisely by signing players who can help right now and also provide a positive long-term outlook along the way.
It'll probably be a mixture of both. That was a recipe for success in Peters' first offseason, so it would be a surprise if the same approach — albeit with a little more aggressiveness attached — wasn't adopted in the coming months.
Given Washington's improved standing around the league, they might not need to overpay to land their desired targets anymore.
Commanders' coaching stability
Dan Quinn was the right man to lead this exciting rebuild. The Commanders wanted a genuine leader of men. Someone capable of reinvigorating a new roster and molding them into a competitive outfit. To say the head coach accomplished this challenging feat would be an understatement.
The culture shift under Quinn's guidance was seismic. Everyone got on the same page. Everyone worked hard with one common goal in mind. The former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator focused on building relationships first. He also used his vast contacts around the league to mold the best coaching staff imaginable.
The results speak for themselves. However, this inevitably came with alluring eyes from other teams looking to find the same formula.
Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. got head coaching interviews. The assistants who worked closely with Jayden Daniels got opportunities elsewhere. Everyone aside from a defensive assistant opted to stay with the Commanders.
That spoke volumes. It needs to be a tremendous opportunity for staff members to even consider taking the plunge. This coaching continuity and belief in the project benefits everybody — including free agents or draft picks looking to join the squad.
Having the same coaches who worked wonders last season is a big selling point. Veterans will want to experience this for themselves. That's only going to help entice the right characters to the Commanders.