Washington Commanders 'Went the Culture Route' in 2024 Free Agency

NFL executives recently surveyed by The Athletic commented on what the Washington Commanders have done in free agency.

The Washington Commanders quickly adopted an aggressive approach to free agency signing north of 20 new players from other teams around the NFL.

All the additions and press conferences laced with images of aggressive football and a new way of conducting business for the Commanders has caught the attention of other executives around the league who are praising the work of general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn.

“I see what the plan was,” one executive said about Washington to The Athletic in an anonymous survey. “They went the culture route where we are going to add the Bobby Wagners, guys that are known commodities, to help jumpstart a culture that has lacked leadership and direction. You just have to hope these guys stay healthy, because they are older — sexy names without sexy production.”

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters.

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Production is ultimately going to tell the tale of whether or not Peters and Quinn are considered successes, and it's going to take some work to get the cast of players moving in lockstep with each other.

As the first executive mentioned, the ability for the key additions to stay available to the team is going to be critical.

“Wagner, Ekeler and Ertz are the only signings I would criticize, even though I understand what they are doing,” another executive said. “Jeremy Chinn will be interesting. He was out of position with Carolina. I don’t know if he has the instincts to play in the box the way Dan Quinn likes with those lighter safety bodies at linebacker.”

Chinn isn't the only player who needs to have his position identified before the upcoming season. Second-year defensive back Quan Martin has shown flashes in the slot and at free safety and linebacker Jamin Davis will need to find a spot in a linebacker group that appears now to have players better suited to fit Quinn's defenses of the past.

Of course, there's also the NFL Draft approaching this April where the Commanders will add even more talent and continue to build their roster the way Peters and Quinn see best.

While roster additions alone don't ensure success it's good to see Washington following a plan and addressing the roster with the intention of fulfilling the messages being stated publicly.