The Washington Commanders find themselves in a unique predicament. One they haven't experienced for decades.
They're a rising contender in the NFL. They're theoretically at what should be just the start of a Super Bowl window after earning a surprise NFC Championship game appearance last season.
Yet, they're also one of the more experienced teams in the league. The average age of the players signed or otherwise acquired by general manager Adam Peters is 30 years old according to Nicki Jhabvala from The Washington Post.
Commanders turn to experience in pursuit of maximizing Jayden Daniels' rookie contract
Among those players are trade acquisitions Deebo Samuel Sr. (29) and Laremy Tunsil (30), together with re-signings Zach Ertz and Bobby Wagner (both 34). Some of the most notable new additions that Washington brought in as free agents are Javon Kinlaw (27), Will Harris (29), and veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones (31).
This can be taken in one of two ways.
On the plus side, it means Washington is not messing around. The Commanders have sped up their path to contention by bringing in proven players, most of whom are still at the top of their game.
Even those who may have lost a slight step on the field can still provide a valuable presence in the locker room. Ertz is the primary example, who re-signed with the Commanders due to the connection he formed with his teammates and the overall community last season.
That being said, it also means Washington has much less wiggle room than most other teams would have at this stage of their rebuilds.
The future for the Commanders is not later — it's now.
There will be very little patience for growing pains. It won't matter that the 2025 season is Year 2 for quarterback Jayden Daniels, head coach Dan Quinn, and Peters alike.
Given how much Daniels — who himself is 24 years old, very much on the older side for a rookie — proved his lack of experience is no big deal, that shouldn't be too much of a problem. But the Commanders have made this bed for themselves now, and there's no going back.
Throughout the remaining three (which will almost certainly become four) years of Daniels' rookie contract, Washington will be aggressively looking to maximize its window. Even if it comes at the expense of the development of the team's youth. Looking at how much quarterback extensions are costing and the salary cap only going up, capitalizing is crucial.
This is simply the harsh reality of being an aspiring Super Bowl contender. Once a winning core is established, the next step is to acknowledge that there can be no more waiting around.
Washington has taken that step. Time will tell if it pays off with the desired results on the field.