Improvements were expected from the Washington Commanders this season. The bar wasn't high in that regard following another campaign that promised much and delivered little under Ron Rivera in 2023. However, nobody anticipated how quickly things would turn around following substantial alterations to the infrastructure and playing personnel this offseason.
The Commanders are the NFL's surprise package through five weeks. Dan Quinn's masterminded an incredible on-field turnaround in fortunes. Adam Peters is being lauded for his outstanding roster construction and talent evaluation. Josh Harris' ownership group is doing its part by providing the football operation with everything they need while also focusing on some ambitious proposals behind the scenes.
Excitement is building among the fanbase. There is genuine belief the Commanders have the right people in place to get this once-downtrodden franchise back to respectability and beyond. It's getting harder to keep everyone's feet on the ground, which is a different challenge facing Quinn and his staff heading into the midway point of the campaign.
With this in mind, here are five sustainable positives from Washington's exceptional start to the 2024 campaign.
Sustainable positives from the Commanders' sensational 4-1 start
Being competitive
The Washington Commanders seemed to roll over too many times last season. They were seen as a get-right game for teams a little down on their luck. Everyone looked forward to playing the struggling organization, seeing it as an opportunity to get another win in the column without much pushback attached.
That's not the case anymore.
The Commanders are well-prepared for every game. They are fighting hard for each other and showcasing a more fundamentally sound operation since Dan Quinn took charge. Washington has gone from a laughingstock to a competitive outfit in double-quick time. That's all fans were looking for at this early stage.
Quinn's men aren't going to win every game - not even the league's elite manage that. However, the Commanders can be competitive no matter the opposition if their initial high-performance levels are any indication.
Recognizing the past while embracing the future
Former Washington Commanders players and team legends turned away in their droves under Dan Snyder's incompetent ownership spanning more than two decades. Nobody wanted to be associated with the organization, least of all those who poured blood, sweat, and tears into making this storied franchise great once upon a time. That is thankfully changing under Josh Harris.
The Commanders are making a concerted effort to recognize the past while embracing the future. They've reached out to legendary figures of days gone by and made them feel part of something special. The likes of Darrell Green and Doug Williams have been at the forefront, with Joe Gibbs also giving this new era his respected approval on several occasions.
This might not seem like much, but having a unified organization all pulling in the same direction is something that hasn't been seen in Washington for a generation. There was a rapid descent to disenchantment previously, which is disintegrating with every win on the field and every positive development behind the scenes.
The stadium plans. The Sean Taylor statue. The renovations to the practice facility and Northwest Stadium. It's all coming together slowly. Having the old guard around to support it only enhances the community feel around the Commanders right now. Long may it continue.
Commanders' culture shift
Ron Rivera seemed pleased with the culture he'd built during his four years as head coach. Even after he was fired, the former linebacker remained adamant this was a positive he left behind. However, one only has to look at the comments from players in the wake of his departure - and during the season - to see this wasn't the case.
The Commanders looked to solve that as a matter of urgency this offseason. They found the right blend of youth and experience after gutting the roster. Dan Quinn's notorious culture building made him the perfect head coach for the early stages of this substantial rebuild.
Washington's locker room atmosphere is night and day compared to the Rivera years. You could sense it during the summer with a vibrant, professional training camp put together with purpose and precision. This has transitioned to the regular season to further unify this unit to quickly become the league's most surprising story in 2024.
Changing the culture was imperative. The franchise descended into toxicity under the previous owner. But almost everyone around the NFL is starting to look at the Commanders differently with Josh Harris' ownership group leading the charge.
Whether the Commanders continue their remarkable start to the campaign or not, having a strong culture can be sustained and enhanced in the coming years.
Jayden Daniels' progress
Jayden Daniels might be playing like a seasoned veteran to start his NFL career, but he's still a rookie. The quarterback acknowledged as much amid the constant adulation coming his way. He wants to be better and for the coaching staff to keep pushing him toward greatness this season and beyond.
The Washington Commanders cannot be anything other than thrilled with the immediate return on their investment. Those in power turned down a king's ransom to stay at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft and take Daniels. They believed he had the franchise-altering traits capable of waking this sleeping giant. It's still early, but the signs are immensely positive.
Daniels' progress should be sustainable. He's already a nightmare for opposing defenses to counteract, but he's also leaving plenty of plays out on the field. Once he starts going through his progressions more effectively and choosing the right read, he's only going to improve.
The Commanders have a strong support system around Daniels. Kliff Kingsbury, Tavita Pritchard, Brian Johnson, and David Blough are steering him on the right path. His exceptional work ethic is working in his favor - something that can continue long into the future if he gets a clear run of luck on the health front.
Commanders are learning how to win again
This might sound strange considering the wholesale changes made across the Commanders, but learning how to win is something this new-look operation is doing together. It's been a long time since Washington won consistently. For those who were around under previous regimes, it's taken some getting used to.
Mediocrity was accepted as the norm, especially during the final years of Ron Rivera's head coaching tenure. Treading water was preferred to anything more ambitious. This came with a demoralized locker room and players simply going through the motions. That was not going to fly under the experienced presence of head coach Dan Quinn.
Winning breeds confidence. Winning changes the atmosphere in practice and in the locker room. These examples were few and far between over recent years, so relishing every moment while also keeping the long-term objectives at the forefront of their minds is having a positive impact on this squad.
The Commanders know more than most that winning is hard in the NFL. Their Week 5 triumph against the Cleveland Browns wasn't perfect, but they found a way to get the job done with minimal fuss. They're learning how to come through tough challenges and attain success. That's arguably the biggest positive above all else through the first five weeks of the campaign.