We're finally good again! That's the overwhelming reaction after the 2024 NFL season for Commanders fans. Yes, there was hesitancy to believe things had changed when the season got off to a good start. And then there was RGIII-induced PTSD fear that an injury to Jayden Daniels would destroy the promise of this new era. But Daniels showed an ability to avoid big hits, and Washington made the NFC Championship game, leading fans to jump fully onto the bandwagon for the first time since 1991. And now, like everyone's favorite Kylo Ren gif, the fans are demanding: more.
So I want to look ahead to the offseason and look at four things I hope to see from Adam Peters and his front office to prep the 'Ders for the 2025 season when expectations are going to be sky high.
1) Trade for Myles Garrett
This move, in my opinion, is by far the biggest potential move for the Commanders. It could really open up a championship window for the next four years. It's also a big risk that could blow up in terrible ways. Garrett will be entering his age-30 season in 2025. He's going to command a contract extension that will pay him at least $30 million dollars based on reports. He's going to cost draft capital. There will be injury risk. But... he's Myles Garrett. He's the 2023 DPOY. He's made six All-Pro team (4 1st teams, 2 2nd teams). He is, quite simply, a game-changing player.
And as we've seen with Jayden Daniels, adding a game changer can transform an entire unit. Imagine having Garrett play a role similar to what Micah Parsons did for Dan Quinn's defenses in Dallas. He just opens up the possibilities for what a defense can do because he's a player opposing coaches have to commit resources to stopping.
I just think that taking a swing for Garrett makes sense, especially when compared to the cost. Yes, he is looking to get paid, but the Commanders have $79 million in cap space. They can afford to add a big contact to the payroll for the right guy. The other thing to think about is the draft picks Washington would have to give up to acquire Garrett. It's going to take at least two first-round picks, maybe a player as well. But look at the list of guys selected 29th overall dating back to 1993. There are some recognizable names on the list, and the best player is probably Nick Mangold. Nick Mangold had a really good career, but he is not Myles Garrett. Yes, TJ Watt was once the 30th overall pick, but if you're telling me you can find the next TJ Watt, you should probably be doing something more lucrative than picking NFL players. The plan/hope is that Washington will be selecting late in the 2026 draft as well, so you would be trading two lottery tickets for a sure thing.
Cleveland won't just give Garrett away. And there is going to be a bidding war for his services, but if you can grab him, I think it's a swing worth taking.
2) Bring Back Key Vets
Even though the 'Ders had a great season, this roster still needs a lot of work. The truth is that the Ron Rivera era left this team with some big talent deficiencies that were papered over last season with a bunch of veteran players on one-year deals. So Peters is going to have to resign some of those vets even though it would be nice to be able to get younger because there are too many holes that need to be filled.
So guys like Bobby Wagner, Zack Ertz, Jeremy Chinn, at least two (and maybe three) of the veteran wide receivers, and Marcus Mariotta are going to have to be resigned to reasonable deals, if possible. I also wouldn't be mad if Noah Igbinoghene is brought back on a reasonable contract. I would imagine most of these guys would want to run it back. But it has to make sense. If the Raiders want to throw a ton of money at Wagner, then you let him go. I imagine some teams are looking at Chinn, even though safety is usually a position teams are loathe to commit big money to. At the same time, just because these vets and others will be in the building, it doesn't mean that Washington shouldn't be trying to get younger. Which leads me to...
3) Draft Wisely (Wow, Way to Take a Stand)
I know I'm kind of undermining this point by saying Washington should trade its first round picks this year and next to get Garrett, but building through the draft has to be the way this franchise moves forward. Peters and his staff got a lot of credit for bringing in talent in last year's draft, and they're going to have to do it again. Right now, Washington has seven picks in the draft, but two of those picks are seventh rounders. There is going to be pressure to make the right pick on day two of the draft, especially if Washington decides to move the first round pick to get Garrett.
The Commanders showed they could add depth along both lines in the last draft, and they should invest some draft capital there again. But the Commanders are also going to have to find playmakers for the offense, some secondary help, and a linebacker. It's a lot to look for, so maybe there's a trade down to get additional picks.
4) Avoid Handing Out Silly Big Money Contracts
Finally, just because Washington has $79 million to spend, doesn't mean that they should. Tee Higgins is technically available, but everyone seems to think Cincinnati would use the franchise tag on him for the second year in a row rather than lose him. It was fun to imagine a Terry McLaurin/Tee Higgins receiving tandem, but that seems unlikely now. Kind of related is that there are interesting wide receivers available or soon to be available like Chris Godwin, Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, and Cooper Kupp who could be interesting options for the number 2 receiver role, but it's hard to judge how smart it would be to bring in one of those guys until we know the cost.
Josh Sweat would probably solve a lot of Washington's D-Line issues and there is the added benefit of taking him away from Philly, but since he's the top pass rush target, there's a chance the price tag for his services gets real expensive real quick. A bidding war for a guy who most likely benefitted from Philly's extreme depth on the line might not be the best use of time and resources.
Finally, there are a number of offensive linemen available. And it's really tempting to think the Commanders could use another starter on the line since Sam Cosmi probably won't be ready to play at the start of the season. While past regimes in Washington would probably look to win the offseason, I think Adam Peters and company have shown they operate in a level-headed fashion.
