Are the Washington Commanders Building to Compete with the Defending Super Bowl Champions?
The Washington Commanders are one of the most talked about teams in the NFL heading into the 2025 season. Before 2024, the organization was the laughingstock of the league, and former owner Daniel Snyder was viewed as the worst owner in all of sports. After multiple allegations of workplace incidents, sexual misconduct, illegal financial moves, and overall lack of team success, Snyder sold the team to an investment group led by Josh Harris. Harris is the majority owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils and has experience in successful team building. The start of the Harris era in Washington began with a 12-5 record and an underdog run to the NFC Championship, embarrassing the Super Bowl favorite Detroit Lions along the way. The most surprising news from last season was the story behind their rookie quarterback, who shocked the league from day one as a starter.
The Commanders came into the 2024 season following a 4-13 campaign and had the second overall pick in last year’s draft. They went on to select the Heisman trophy winner, quarterback Jayden Daniels from LSU. Daniels came into the league with a high ceiling, given his unique running ability paired with remarkable arm talent and high IQ. Head coach Dan Quinn was brought in with an impressive coaching resume across the league. Proven veterans Bobby Wagner, Austin Ekeler, and Zach Ertz were also signed, but the overall outlook for the team was mediocre at best at the time. The Commanders exceeded every expectation and now look to build momentum heading into 2025. They began this offseason with around $82 million in cap space, which ranked top three in the NFL.
The offseason for the Commanders started with a bang after trading for All-Pro Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers. Samuel is listed as a wide receiver but possesses running back abilities and is talented as a returner. The 49ers have had a busy offseason clearing cap space to sign quarterback Brock Purdy to a projected massive contract, so Samuel was brought in surprisingly cheap. He was traded for a fifth-round pick, relatively low given his career production. If healthy, Samuel will provide a security blanket for the second-year play-caller, and Washington’s offense will be much improved. The need for defensive players, especially along the front seven, is the Commanders’ focus heading into the draft. The team ranked 31st in both rushing yards per game and yards per rush and 29th in rushing touchdowns per game. The need to fill holes along the defensive line is critical, especially since the team is in the same division as the Eagles, who are coming off one of the best rushing seasons in NFL history. On top of that, the Commanders lost two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen to the Minnesota Vikings in free agency. They have the 29th pick in the first round of the draft and will look to solidify the interior to help improve on their biggest flaw. Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was brought in from the 49ers on a massive deal, but the search for more depth doesn’t end there. Key names in the draft include Kenneth Grant from Michigan or Derrick Harmon of Oregon. Both are dominant run stuffers and are day-one starters that could possibly be available late in the first round. The Commanders need to hit in the draft and continue to sign key free agents to compete with the Eagles in the NFC East and push toward the Super Bowl.
