3 reasons to be optimistic about the Commanders in 2024
By Dean Jones
It's a new era for the Washington Commanders. Dan Snyder's stranglehold on the organization is gone. Ron Rivera's indifferent roster-building and outdated coaching methods are no more. This was replaced with fresh hope things could finally start trending in a positive direction following decades of despair.
The Commanders have plenty of positives after an unprecedented offseason of change. Josh Harris' ownership group stood in the background and assessed the landscape throughout the 2023 campaign. When the time came to implement their ideas, they acted with supreme conviction.
Nobody is getting too carried away. The Commanders' fortunes remain precarious despite substantial alterations to the team's infrastructure. At the same time, there's a growing sense that something special might be brewing if everyone gets on the same page quickly.
With this in mind, here are three reasons to be optimistic about the Commanders in 2024.
Commanders' aligned vision
Too many within the Washington Commanders were out for themselves and nervously looking over their shoulders in recent years. The atmosphere became toxic behind the scenes under Dan Snyder's watch. Things weren't much better on the playing side as Ron Rivera ran out of ideas of how best to pick this once-proud franchise off the canvas.
That changed immediately this offseason. Josh Harris' ownership group, new head coach Dan Quinn, and general manager Adam Peters are going about their business with more collaboration. There is an aligned vision for the future. Everyone is on the same page and working in unison to reach their goals.
This is a refreshing change of pace. Even if success doesn't happen right away, fans can relax safe in the knowledge there is a long-term plan in place.
Washington's approach is the hallmark of every contending team. More importantly, Harris is trusting qualified football people to make important decisions. He's an onlooker rather than a meddler - something that couldn't be said of Snyder during his two-decade reign of terror.