Adam Peters is in the midst of a memorable first offseason as general manager of the Washington Commanders. A respected front office figure, Peters had a big job ahead of him when he left the San Francisco 49ers: the daunting challenge of getting one of the league's most storied franchises back on its feet.
The Commanders' roster has been significantly revamped under Peters' guidance, which was crucial after Ron Rivera's four-year, indifferent tenure as manager ended with another mediocre season in 2023. Morale was at an all-time low and fans endured further despair, but with improved leadership and professionalism across the board, that may be about to change.
Peters is aggressive, attacks with conviction when opportunities arise, and gets the best deal he can get in a trade, regardless of division rivalries. Everyone has a price, and very few players are safe. Another example of this new mentality was when defensive tackle John Ridgeway III was traded to the New Orleans Saints.
Interest in Ridgway reportedly intensified after the Commanders publicly announced their availability for him, with the Saints making Washington their top offer, sending them an inside presence and a seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
Ridgway was deemed unnecessary after the Commanders spent a second-round pick to end Johnny Newton's dramatic drop down the draft ladder, and the Commanders have also seen promising progress from Phidalien Mathis in recent weeks, earning him a spot in the depth chart behind starting defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.
Peters deserves credit for bringing something back in return for a player who probably should have been let go, and while that wasn't the case for everyone, it's proof that anything is done in the pursuit of promotion.
It's also important to remember that Peters is working with a long-term goal in mind. The Commanders want to make incremental improvements, but the goal is to build a sustainable model through the draft and fill remaining needs in free agency. This will take time, so the project requires some patience if things don't go as originally planned.
Washington's draft capital looks a lot better than it did just a few weeks ago, and here's where it stands in 2025 after the team's decision to pass on Ridgway to the draft class.
Something more could happen before the big selection process begins. The Commanders could consider offloading veterans before the trade deadline depending on how things go in the first half of 2024. Of course, this is something the powers that be pulled the trigger on last year when defensive end duo Montez Sweat and Chase Young were waived.
Fans are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season, a season that has been damaged by almost two decades of poor performances, but there is also legitimate hope that the managers are in safe hands and moving forward united in the pursuit of a common purpose.
It's been a long time since they've been able to say that.
