ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders entered this offseason with a younger quarterback, a revamped tradition and a far totally different outlook than a yr in the past.
“We have arrived, and that adjustments expectations,” proprietor Josh Harris mentioned. “We welcome it and, we’re simply going to work more durable to create a state of affairs the place subsequent yr we win.
The Commanders superior to the NFC Championship Sport for the primary time for the reason that 1991 season, dropping to the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. However Washington additionally was the final crew to beat the Eagles this season, having performed so in December.
However, whereas final season was spent on the lookout for a normal supervisor (Adam Peters), coach (Dan Quinn) and quarterback (Jayden Daniels), this offseason will probably be spent discovering methods to construct on a 12-5 common season, one capped by two highway playoff wins.
The Commanders have the third-most cap house within the NFL plus seven draft picks. They’ve the offensive rookie of the yr in Daniels. Quinn appreciated to say they did not have to rebuild this previous yr, simply recalibrate. Now? It is about persevering with to construct to win not simply subsequent yr however for the foreseeable future.
“The ground has risen,” he mentioned, “however we’re nowhere close to the place our ceiling’s going to be and that fires me up.”
To succeed in that ceiling, the Commanders face three key questions:
How will they construct round Daniels?
Daniels was named the NFL’s offensive rookie of the yr and completed seventh within the MVP voting in 2024. A franchise that could not remedy this place for many years seems to have lastly gotten it proper. Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns; he rushed for 891 yards and 6 extra scores.
The additional benefit: He is on a rookie contract for the subsequent a number of years.
“We now have a large alternative,” Harris mentioned final week. “None of us are taking that evenly.”
Daniels did not simply impress teammates along with his play. It was the way in which he labored that first opened their eyes — displaying up at 5:45 a.m. within the spring for additional work, displaying a deep understanding of the playbook, choosing the brains of veterans on each side of the ball.
There is a purpose tight finish Zach Ertz mentioned after the NFC Championship Sport, “I want I used to be 22 and taking part in with him and had my entire profession forward of me with him.”
Others within the league, naturally, took discover.
“I have not seen extra of a cold-blooded rookie since l’ve been within the NFL and possibly the previous moreover Lamar, most likely previous 5, seven years,” Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons not too long ago mentioned on his podcast.
However Washington should enhance round him. A number of league sources pointed to the offensive line as the primary place to repair. One government pointed to working again as one other spot to improve — maybe including extra velocity and playmaking capability alongside veterans Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr.
The Commanders even have solely two receivers signed for 2025: Professional Bowler Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey, who caught 18 passes this previous season as a rookie.
“Due to the talent set he has, he covers up quite a lot of stink,” one NFL government mentioned of Daniels. “The offensive line isn’t good. It reveals the league what can occur when you’ve that man.”
How will they spend in free company?
Washington enters the offseason with the third-most obtainable cap house within the NFL — at roughly $70 million. The Commanders path solely New England and Las Vegas. Peters has repeatedly mentioned that free company is the place a franchise ought to fill wants and the draft is the place it should construct the muse of the roster.
That is what Washington did final season, signing veterans comparable to linebackers linebackers Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu, Ertz, security Jeremy Chinn, defensive ends Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler Jr., and Ekeler amongst others. Solely three of them — Luvu, Ekeler and Armstrong — acquired greater than a one-year deal.
Whereas Washington has cap house, it additionally has the second-fewest gamers behind Kansas Metropolis signed for 2025. The Commanders have 43 gamers beneath contract — that is 17 fewer than Arizona, which has the fourth-most cap house obtainable, in line with overthecap.com. Of the highest 11 groups for cap house, eight have not less than 50 gamers signed for subsequent season.
So, whereas the Commanders have room, it stays to be seen how they assault free company this offseason. They might additionally resolve to pursue a deal for a veteran star comparable to Cleveland defensive finish Myles Garrett, who has publicly requested a commerce. That may value cap house and draft picks. However it will present Washington with a game-changing defensive participant.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cleveland normal supervisor Andrew Berry is “adamant” on not buying and selling Garrett. Regardless, Daniels’ rookie contract affords them a chance to make strikes they won’t be capable of when he indicators his second deal.
“I do not understand how that interprets to aggressiveness and free company the place Adam and Dan are exhausting at work and they will advise me on that,” Harris mentioned, “however actually, we will do the whole lot we are able to to enhance our crew.”
Luvu mentioned two weeks in the past that he had already heard from gamers on different groups who mentioned they needed to play in Washington. It is fairly a reversal from the previous.
“I received just a few of them,” he mentioned. “That is the kind of power we’re beginning to get.”
Which gamers will they preserve?
Washington might want to resolve which veterans to retain. Whereas some league sources surprise what Wagner — who turns 35 in June — has left, the Commanders valued him not just for what he added on the sector but in addition within the locker room. He developed a robust bond with Daniels and rapidly grew to become a revered chief.
Ertz completed the earlier two seasons on injured reserve, however was a trusted goal for Daniels, catching 66 passes with seven touchdowns. He’ll flip 35 in November however made it clear he’d prefer to return.
The Commanders have 28 pending unrestricted free brokers. Additionally they can create extra cap room in the event that they resolve to chop defensive deal with Jonathan Allen, saving them $16.8 million towards the cap (they might additionally lengthen his contract, which ends after 2025, and decrease his cap hit). In the event that they launched veteran proper deal with Andrew Wylie they’d save $7.75 million towards the cap.
Of the ultimate 53-man roster, solely 19 have been with the franchise earlier than this previous season. Extra adjustments will probably be made this offseason. Throughout the gamers’ last visits with the teaching workers and entrance workplace, one theme resonated with Peters.
“If we will take away a lesson, that may most likely be the largest one is getting the fellows which are Commanders, which are opponents, that love ball, love one another, and can play for one another,” Peters mentioned. “We had a bunch of these guys on this crew, and so they appreciated taking part in for one another. It was actually a cool factor to listen to and so that is what we’ll search for.”
Adjustments within the roster would not need to imply an altered environment within the constructing.
“Yr to yr, every crew is totally different,” McLaurin mentioned. “However when you’ve the tradition and id, that is who you’re regardless of who’s right here. That would be the emphasis. … I am excited the place issues are headed.”
