Trimming the fat
Adam Peters wasted no time in stamping his authority on the Washington Commanders. The general manager gutted the playing personnel, turning over around two-thirds of the roster and giving this franchise life where once there was nothing but abject misery.
The Commanders achieved more than anyone imagined. They reached the final four and could be playing in the Super Bowl had it not been for some costly mistakes against the Philadelphia Eagles. Not many had that on their bingo card before competitive action began.
Peters cannot get complacent. This roster is going to look different again next season. It's the price for progress and there will be no sentiment attached to his decision-making process.
Trimming the fat is key. The Commanders must remove the dead-weight from the squad, replacing them with more productive starters or improved depth. Some will return, but not everyone is going to come along for this exciting ride.
That goes for free agents and those under contract. Peters is ruthless, so if he feels like someone isn't pulling their weight with the money committed, he won't hesitate to remove them from the equation.
That might sound harsh after everything they gave to the cause this season. However, nothing will stop Peters from turning the Commanders into a perennial contender.
Commanders must extend Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin is a phenomenal player. Every Commanders fan who's watched him produce despite the quarterback carousel under previous regimes knew this already. Now that the gifted wide receiver has a franchise-caliber presence under center, the entire league knows it too.
McLaurin and rookie sensation Jayden Daniels quickly formed a profitable partnership. They pushed each other throughout, ensuring standards remained high and urgency stayed the same despite Washington's incredible success. It didn't take long for this to explode during the regular season.
The duo formed a dynamic quarterback-wide receiver tandem up there with the NFL's best. McLaurin's targets diminished within Kliff Kingsbury's offense, but he still went over 1,000 receiving yards and saw his touchdown numbers surge. The former third-round pick out of Ohio State earned his second Pro Bowl honor and attained a second-team All-Pro selection as a result of his exceptional efforts.
Nobody deserves this adulation more than McLaurin. He stayed professional amid the chaos and led from the front. This is the sort of franchise cornerstone the Commanders would be wise to keep around.
McLaurin has one more year remaining on his deal. Peters should extend him as a matter of urgency this offseason — something that will also increase the salary-cap resources at his disposal in 2025.