Commanders' GM Adam Peters Receives Brutal Review Ahead of 2026 Season

The Washington Commanders' 2025 season didn't go according to plan. While many will point towards health as a major reason behind the collapse, some onus can be placed on general manager Adam Peters. Peters has done an excellent job since arriving in Washington, but it's apparently not the best that he could be doing, as NBC Sports' Patrick Daugherty has Peters ranked as the 24th best GM in the league.

• Peters' spending last offseason cost Washington high-end talent and only two top-100 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

• Roster still lacks in areas such as offensive line depth, talent at wide receiver, and proven production on defense.

• Forced to go after unproven, blue-collar players in free agency, while also netting linebacker Sonny Styles in the draft.

Commanders 2025 Downfall

"Adam Peters went all in on 2025. He is currently at the lobby ATM getting ready to buy back in. That was a bust of a campaign. There is no way to sugarcoat it," Daugherty explained. "It’s nice to have a young star quarterback, but you probably aren’t going to win the Super Bowl if you lack skill player depth, offensive line depth, backfield depth and high-end defensive talent. Commanders fans can only hope it was a painful but necessary lesson in NFL team-building."

Washington Commanders GM Adam Peter — Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

It's an honest assessment by Daugherty. The Commanders somewhat pigeonholed themselves a season ago after acquiring Laremy Tunsil, and thus, had to do what they could with aging pieces that weren't either able to stay on the field or live up to the level of play we had become accustomed to over the years.

No Shortcuts in 2026 Offseason

"There are no shortcuts. That was felt most acutely during April’s draft, where last year’s deficit spending left the Commandos with only two top-100 selections, just one of which came in the top 70. That would be No. 7 overall pick Sonny Styles, a meat-and-potatoes addition that at least showed Peters was no longer under the impression he was one player away," wrote Daugherty. "That followed a free agency where he loaded up on regular defensive contributors. Back to basics, you could say. Humbling, but there’s nothing wrong with getting the message. If you’re going to put it all on the table, you better at least have the cards."

Daugherty clearly liked what the Commanders and Peters did this offseason, getting younger and more talented across the board. But just because he is seeing promise in what the front office is doing, he's not quite ready to elevate him up his general manager board.

Peters Must Put it All Together

The Commanders have felt like they were one player away after a trip to the NFC Championship game in 2024, but if you even look at that roster, it was almost a miracle that they were able to make it that far. They took a step back last season, but Peters' new mindset about building a roster that has all the components of one that can compete for championships is a step in the right direction.

If the Commanders can put it all together to get close to the playoffs or even make their way into the postseason, then he likely can find himself in that upper echelon of GM's. This will only continue to elevate him across the league, especially if he can continue into future offseasons attacking them the way he did this offseason.

Add us as a preferred source on Google