Commanders' failed trade gambles in the past
Scar tissue is a real thing in the NFL. Bad moves carry consequences, and only the truly elite general managers brush them off and keep swinging.
Adam Peters is not in that group, and he is more hesitant than ever about making trade deals.
That hasn't always been the case.
When the Commanders were performing much better than expected at the start of this project, Peters traded significant assets to the New Orleans Saints for Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore before the 2024 deadline, even though he was still recovering from a hamstring problem.
The move was an unmitigated disaster. However, it didn't stop Peters from continuing this approach after Washington reached the conference championship game.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil arrived via trade during the 2025 offseason. These moves fared better, but the team crumbled to five wins after being in the final four just a season before.
This saw Peters shift course.
He focused on free-agent signings to keep his draft assets intact. Washington is struggling again, so selling should have been strongly considered. Instead, the front-office leader didn't make a move, knowing the repercussions if those departures thrived elsewhere.
It's not ideal. But Peters is still reeling from his all-in approach last year, which brought no success whatsoever.
Commanders still believe they can get back in the fight
This is the biggest one of all. Despite the Commanders being 2-5-1 and languishing among the NFC's bottom feeders, Adam Peters and Dan Quinn still believe they can get back into the fight.
That largely depends on how the Commanders fare on Thursday Night Football against the New York Giants. They are already three games behind John Harbaugh's men. If that gap widens with a loss at MetLife Stadium, most fans would start looking toward the future.
Peters and Quinn hold a completely different mindset. Even last season, when the Commanders were projected to have a top-five draft selection heading into their regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, they did not throw in the towel.
The Commanders won a meaningless game, and they dropped to No. 7 overall. That worked out pretty well after they drafted linebacker Sonny Styles, but this team is just not good.
Those in power might not accept it, but after winning four of their last 20 games, the cold facts are staring them in the face.
There is pride and ego attached, too.
Peters doesn't like selling for the sake of it, which indicts his roster-building. The Commanders are stretched pretty thin, and any departures would have told fans everything they need to know about Quinn's future.
So, the Commanders decided to stand pat and let the chips fall where they may. Whether it pays off or not is another matter.
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