Things have changed for the Washington Commanders this offseason. Their remarkable run to the NFC Championship game last time around raised expectations to levels not seen for decades. Adam Peters is working hard to ensure these newfound goals are reached.
Nobody expected the Commanders to find themselves in the final four last season. Head coach Dan Quinn's sensational culture shift, Peters' outstanding roster construction, and quarterback Jayden Daniels' immediate surge to superstardom provided the spark that woke a sleeping giant.
It was a fairytale. At the same time, NFL history is littered with one-year success stories that cannot be sustained.
Peters knows what it takes to build a sustainable powerhouse. He's been in Super Bowl-winning front offices. He was also a driving force in the San Francisco 49ers' rise from relative obscurity into legitimate contention. As a result, the Commanders are in the best possible hands.
The Commanders were aggressive this offseason. Bold trades for wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil cemented their win-now mentality to maximize Daniels' rookie contract. This should help immensely, but it leaves Peters short of assets heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Washington has five picks available. That makes it more difficult for Peters. However, he can probably get this number up by moving down at some stage.
Using the Pro Football Network simulator, we took a look at how the Commanders could approach their selections in our latest seven-round mock draft.
Commanders trade down from No. 29 overall after deal with the Chiefs
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Adam Peters is respected around the league. He's not only a shrewd talent evaluator, but the front-office leader is also a supreme negotiator where trades are concerned.
The Washington Commanders have benefitted significantly from Peters' controlled aggression. He's always got the team's best interests at the forefront and maintains future flexibility. Peters was the right man to lead this ambitious project, but it'll be interesting to see how he approaches the draft with only five picks available currently.
Peters didn't rule anything out, including giving up more picks. That seems unlikely, but it's a waiting game for fans with the Commanders picking much further down the pecking order than anyone expected at No. 29 overall.
In this scenario, a deal is struck with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Commanders move back a couple of spots in exchange for the No. 95 overall pick and a third-rounder in 2026. Considering the compensation it took to acquire left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans, adding to next year's stock is only going to help Washington's cause.