Josh Harris had already begun an overhaul of the Washington Commanders franchise while the moribund 2023 season was still underway. However, the real changes began once the campaign ended.
The biggest move the new owner would make came a week after the final game, a blowout loss to the hated Dallas Cowboys. Harris hired Adam Peters to be the Commanders' general manager.
Peters was much in demand. As assistant general manager in San Francisco, he had a stellar reputation as a talent scout and roster builder. His résumé predated his seven years with the 49ers. He had begun as a scout with the New England Patriots and then moved into scouting director positions with the Denver Broncos.
Everywhere he went, his teams won.
Peters had been pursued. The Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals requested interviews after the 2022 season, but he chose to stay. Last year, the Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers all expressed interest. Harris struck fast with a strong offer. He never interviewed with the other clubs.
Success in a supporting role does not always result in success as a leader. How did Peters do in his first year with the Commanders?
Now that the season has ended, let’s take a quick look at what Peters got right and what he got wrong.
Grading Adam Peters' performance in year one as Commanders general manager
Staffing hires
If reports are to be believed, Peters was rebuffed by Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald took the top spot in Seattle before Washington made any kind of offer. That left some observers thinking that he was failing right out of the gate with his most important hire.
In hindsight, his selection of Dan Quinn to lead the 2024 Commanders appears inspired.
Quinn brought both veteran leadership and unbridled positivity to a franchise that was in the doldrums. In the end, he was still coaching games when both Macdonald and Johnson were making plans for next year. But Peters didn’t stop there.
Though he couldn’t get Johnson, he did bring in veteran Lions director of player personnel Lance Newmark as his chief assistant. He is now being coveted by other franchises.
Peters essentially raided the scouting departments in Baltimore, the Carolina Panthers, and the Chicago Bears to rebuild his player personnel team with David Blackburn, Scott Fitterer, and Chris White. He was also involved in Harris’ decision to hire NFL executive Dave Gardi in the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Football Initiatives role.
Washington retained some staff to maintain continuity. Front office executives with ties to the franchise’s past like Martin Mayhew and Doug Williams remained, as did scout Tim Gribble. But it was a major overhaul.
Roster construction
The Commanders replaced about two-thirds of their players from Ron Rivera’s final season. He immediately released veterans like Charles Leno Jr. and Logan Thomas. Peters quickly moved on from recent high draft picks like Jahan Dotson, Jamin Davis, and Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
When free agency began, Peters made several moves but also showed great restraint. With so many holes to fill, he recognized that spending big on one or two players would not yield the desired results.
He inked six players to multi-year deals. Nick Allegretti, Dorance Armstrong Jr., Frankie Luvu, Tyler Biadasz, and Tyler Ott each got three-year deals. None were valued at more than $33 million. All five players were starters this season and are projected to be going forward.
The other multi-year deal was a two-year bargain contract given to Austin Ekeler. His fumble in the NFC Championship game notwithstanding, the running back was a valuable contributor.
Peters signed veterans Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, Jeremy Chinn, and Dante Fowler Jr. to low-cost, one-year deals. Again, all became starters on the conference runner-up. And he was far from done.
Cheap deals for players who had become afterthoughts — like Noah Igbinoghene, Jeremy McNichols, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Austin Seibert — all bore fruit. Marcus Mariota helped Jayden Daniels’ transition to the NFL and played well when needed. Nick Bellore joined one of the few free agents Peters re-signed — Jeremy Reaves — to help improve special teams. Even scrap heap pickups like Sheldon Day, Carl Davis and Jalyn Holmes helped a rebuilt defensive front.
Noah Brown, who was picked up on waivers just before the season, made the biggest catch of the year. Wagner, Luvu, and Ekeler constituted three of Washington’s four All-Pro selections. With a few minor missteps, Peters hit a grand slam in free agency.
He did just as well in the draft.
The Commanders had a lot to work with, but that doesn't guarantee success. They had very similar draft capital in 2020 and not a single player from that class remains with the team. The general manager improved his position with a few savvy trades, but he still had to pick the right players.
Daniels at No. 2 overall was a franchise-defining decision he got right. Though it seems obvious now, there were plenty of analysts who thought the Commanders should go in a different direction.
Peters got two other key starters — cornerback Mike Sainristil and left tackle Brandon Coleman — in the second and third rounds. He added promising young players like Johnny Newton, Ben Sinnott, and Luke McCaffrey as well. His final pick, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, played almost 20 percent of the defensive snaps.
Of all the picks, only two fifth-round defenders — Jordan Magee and Dominique Hampton — failed to produce. Both are expected to step into bigger roles next season.
Peters even found a gem in the undrafted free-agent market with safety Tyler Owens. He contributed to special teams and could grow into a legitimate safety over time.
Washington suffered kicker issues that were largely beyond Peters' control. He made quick, decisive moves when necessary. He was almost always right. When he wasn’t, as with his trade for kicker Cade York just before the season began, he didn’t dwell on mistakes. He simply cut his losses and moved on.
Grade
The Commanders head into next season with a franchise quarterback, a significantly improved young roster, and plenty of cap space to keep building. What more can you ask from a new general manager?
Adam Peters' grade for the season is an A+.