Masters and Commanders? Washington Among ‘Best Set Up’ in NFL
After a dismal 4-13 finish last season, the Washington Commanders are about to enter the new league year with a new head coach, a freshly-minted general manager, an estimated $73.6 million in available salary cap space and the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Accordingly, the Commanders, per Pro Football Focus, currently rank second among NFL teams “best set up for the future” — allowing the fanbase to express significant optimism for the first time in a while.
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn (L) smiles as Commanders general manager Adam Peters (R) speaks during Quinn's introductory press conference at Commanders Park.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
“With the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Commanders are in position to land either quarterback Caleb Williams or quarterback Drake Maye,” wrote PFF’s Gordon McGuiness. “That means they won’t have to spend big at the position for several years and can their resources to build a team around a new signal-caller.”
Due to the hiring of both Adam Peters (GM) and Dan Quinn (head coach), the Commanders are undergoing a seismic shift in both philosophy and operations. Despite the franchise’s rich tradition, Washington has won only one playoff game since 2000 (in 2005) and has failed to reach a conference championship game since 1991.
However, PFF’s outlook not only allows for success through the draft, but also a windfall in free agency.
“Washington could look to make a splash in free agency by targeting a player like Danielle Hunter at edge defender, having traded away both Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the trade deadline this past season,” PFF projected. “It also gives them room to try to retain cornerback Kendall Fuller, the 15th-ranked player on PFF’s free agency rankings.”
Washington would undoubtedly relish the chance to keep Fuller in the fold. The soon-to-be 29-year-old was the team’s top corner in 2023, logging 55 solo tackles, nine passes-defensed and two interceptions.
In addition to Fuller, PFF’s report also mentions the possibility of placing the franchise tag on starting strong safety Kamren Curl, who emerged as a force in the Commanders defensive backfield by exhibiting great instincts along with an ability to manipulate leverage and angles in the open field. The current salary projection for a tagged safety is approximately $16.3 million, with a 6.7 percent hit to the salary cap.
Though these prognostications do not inherently carry success, one might say that the future is looking bright in the nation’s capital — at least, from a football perspective.
