Josh Harris' impact enhancing Commanders buzz heading into critical offseason

Josh Harris' impact since becoming Washington Commanders majority owner is enhancing buzz heading into an important offseason for the organization.

Josh Harris' ownership group wasted no time in making a mark on the Washington Commanders. Their efforts to put the franchise in the best possible situation to turn things around quickly aren't going unnoticed by those around the league.

Big changes are coming to the Commanders once the 2023 season concludes. Head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew are likely to be relieved of their respective duties. Others will inevitably follow. Many players will also be moved on in pursuit of a brighter future.

Commanders openings generating buzz around the NFL

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, this is making people in NFL circles look at the Commanders differently. Not having Dan Snyder's dark cloud looming over Washington also helps. Something that could make their upcoming openings more attractive than initially perceived.

"A job that is better than perceived is Washington, which is getting a lot of buzz with an energized owner looking to turn it around. Washington is also swimming in draft picks, including five in the first three rounds in 2024, and already has a solid roster. Depending on how this season ends, the Commanders’ first pick could even be in the top five. I still can’t believe I typed Washington, a team that has had 21 quarterbacks over 20 years, as the top destination spot for coaches, but the Commanders are on the rise. They might be able to land their top candidate once they begin that process."

- Dianna Russini, The Athletic

Harris is an experienced figure when it comes to running sports franchises. The allure of working for a perennial winner such as Magic Johnson also helps. Couple this with around $100 million in cap space and a wealth of draft capital, it's not hard to see why this is such an attractive project in a big market.

Just who these candidates are going to be is the big question. Harris and his team will already be coming up with potential options. Much will also depend on how a new general manager perceives the situation once Mayhew is let go as anticipated.

It's an exciting time to be a Commanders fan. Things haven't gone according to plan in terms of results in 2023. However, the long-suffering support can relax safe in the knowledge there is a plan in place to get Washington into the limelight as an industry leader in the coming years.

How long this will take is down to who the Commanders hire during the upcoming cycle. Getting the right people into the building is going to speed up the process considerably. If Harris' group chooses incorrectly, it'll set the franchise back years.

Russini's report indicates there is a level of confidence they can get their preferred targets. This is a sleeping giant ready to be awoken. Ready to emerge from the proverbial abyss and return to the NFL's top table.

Things are going to look different by the time Washington's 2024 season opener rolls around. But after so much underachievement and languishing in disgrace among the league's bottom feeders, this is a good thing.

Will it provide an immediate change in fortunes? Time will tell on that front.