3 dream scenarios for the Washington Commanders in 2023
By Dean Jones
What are some dream scenarios that the Washington Commanders hope come true during a potentially franchise-altering 2023 season?
After one of the more speculative and rumor-filled offseasons in recent memory, the Washington Commanders are turning their attention to training camp preparations heading into the 2023 season. This is the most important part of the preparation phase by a considerable margin, which could also see the team's sale receive formal NFL approval in between based on the two potential voting dates sent to league owners this week.
It's hard not to feel the renewed hope that something special might be brewing once Dan Snyder's toxic presence is officially in the history books. Josh Harris and his consortium will have different ideas on how to take the franchise forward, so the onus is on those impacting the playing side of things to demonstrate enough optimism with better performances and improved results when competitive games arrive.
A tough task, obviously. But there is enough talent across the Commanders to ensure strides are made if everything goes better than anticipated right down to the last detail.
With this in mind, here are three dream scenarios the Commanders hope will come to fruition in 2023.
Commanders defense becomes NFL's best
The Washington Commanders aren't far from becoming an elite-level defense. Some would argue they've already reached this status under the expert guidance of defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
Expectations couldn't be much higher for Washington's defense in 2023. Daron Payne was extended after a standout campaign, Chase Young is returning from injury, and the Commanders bolstered the secondary by spending their opening two selections of the NFL Draft on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and versatile defensive back Quan Martin.
This should be enough to take the Commanders' defense up another notch. If they were to become the NFL's most dominant defensive unit, it's something head coach Ron Rivera and the offense can ride into the playoffs.