Analyst projects monumental leap forward for Commanders in 2024

Wholesale changes across the Washington Commanders have those around the league looking at them differently. This is not the same shoddy football operation previous owner Dan Snyder seemed to prefer. There is a level of professionalism and conviction in everything they do with Adam Peters at the helm. It's been a long time since fans could say that.

Whether this amounts to any immediate improvement in results remains to be seen. The raised energy and expectancy around the building indicate strides can be made from the four-win campaign Ron Rivera suffered through before the head coach was put out of his misery. By how much is the big talking point among the fanbase currently?

Analysts predicts the Commanders will go 9-8 in 2024

Gilberto Manzano from Sports Illustrated projected the Commanders to take a monumental leap forward in 2024. The analyst had Washington finishing with a 9-8 record during their first campaign under head coach Dan Quinn. He also believes that if the defense improves accordingly, a potential postseason berth might not be too far behind.

"There’s plenty to like about the Commanders after a busy offseason with a new owner, general manager and coach. With the savvy moves, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels could deliver a dynamic season to keep Washington in the playoff hunt most of the season. But the Commanders will need to handle business in a competitive NFC East, including against the Dallas Cowboys, the former team of Dan Quinn, who poached many of the Cowboys’ top free agents in March. If Quinn gets the defense to play at a high level, expect Washington to fight for a wild-card spot."

This would be a best-case scenario in no uncertain terms. The Commanders need to navigate a tricky first six weeks of the season to achieve this objective. If they come out of this portion of their schedule relatively unscathed, it could provide a springboard to finish the campaign on a high.

The bar isn't exactly lofty for any growth after how things unfolded throughout Rivera's tenure. Much will depend on how the offensive line holds up in front of Jayden Daniels and whether the Commanders have enough pass rushers capable of causing consistent havoc, but the early signs are promising.

Molding so many new faces can be complicated. Everyone must get on the same page quickly and fully buy into Quinn's methods. This will allow them to become a cohesive cooperation in time for Week 1, but anything less might see the Commanders dig themselves into a hole they cannot get out of.

There is legitimate hope that the right men are in charge to bring the Commanders out of obscurity and back to relevancy. That was always going to be half the battle and plans away from the gridiron will also be an integral part of the process. Asking them to improve by five wins might be a stretch, but there's nothing to suggest it's a bold prediction when one considers the upgrades made to almost every position group.

Cautious optimism would be the best way to describe the atmosphere among the fanbase currently. If Quinn's men hit the ground running in 2024, that will turn into something not seen for decades in the nation's capital.