Biggest Draft Steals and Busts of the Adam Peters Commanders Era

After serving the San Francisco 49ers as Vice President of Player Personnel and Assistant General Manager for the better part of seven years, Adam Peters was finally given a shot to become a General Manager when managing partner of the Washington Commanders, Josh Harris, hired him after a 4-13 season in 2023.

Peters was handed a mess, but has quickly shifted things surrounding the team as well as within it. In his first season as the general manager, he helped hire Dan Quinn as the head coach and drafted Jayden Daniels second overall, which was a huge get after he went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

It's only been a short couple of years for Peters at the helm for the Commanders, but with the NFL Draft just days away, we wanted to check in on some of his best picks, along with some of his worst with Washington.

Biggest Steals

CB Mike Sainristil (Round 2, Pick 50 - 2024)

Even though Sainristil was a second-rounder, he has more than lived up to the billing. He has been an anchor in the Commanders' secondary, playing like a top-ten talent, and has shown a major knack for finding the ball.

A former receiver turned cornerback, Sainristil's ball skills and leadership are evident, and his level of play will continue to be leaned upon as the Commanders look to turn their defense around.

Washington Commanders CB Mike Sainristil — Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil (0) Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Round 7, Pick 222 - 2025)

The biggest steal for Peters thus far is Croskey-Merritt, aka Bill. Despite limited usage at Arizona due to eligibility issues in his final collegiate season, Peters gambled on the back, and it has paid off majorly in just one season of work.

Croskey-Merritt led the team in rushing yards with over 800 and touchdowns on the ground with eight as a rookie, providing elite big-play ability for a fraction of the cost of a veteran starter or high draft pick. He is the definition of a draft steal.

Biggest Busts

It's hard to call any of these players busts quite yet, given how short Peters' tenure has been with the Commanders, but these guys have yet to make the impact that correlates with where and why they were drafted.

WR Luke McCaffrey (Round 3, Pick 100 - 2024)

Taking Christian McCaffrey's younger brother in the NFL Draft seemed like a good idea, but in the third round?

The younger McCaffrey has shown some promise over his two seasons with the Commanders, but hasn't quite blossomed into the versatile weapon they were hoping for. With only 18 catches for 168 yards in his rookie season and 11 for 203 and three touchdowns this past season, he has often been overshadowed by veterans and also hampered by injuries.

With two new veterans signed this offseason, along with the likelihood of more additions either in free agency or the NFL Draft, McCaffrey's days as a contributor in Washington could be numbered.

Washington Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey — Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (11) Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

TE Ben Sinnott (Round 2, Pick 53 - 2024)

A former second-round pick, Sinnott was expected to be the next great versatile tight end, but his integration into the Commanders' offense has been slow to say the least.

Over the course of his two years with the Commanders, Sinnott has only amassed 16 receptions for 142 yards and two scores across 33 appearances, and has been used more as a blocking tight end while Zach Ertz carried the load from a receiving standpoint.

While his blocking has grown and been great for Washington, more was expected from him as a second-round pick. Peters remains high on Sinnott, but with the recent acquisition of Chig Okonkwo, it seems like things may stay the status quo.

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