#washington-commanders

#washington-commanders

It's a tricky balance for head coach Dan Quinn. He wants the Commanders to be competitive in a last-ditch attempt to salvage some respectability from the campaign. He'll also know that Washington needs to see the entire roster before embarking on a pivotal offseason. Loyalty is high on his priority list, but this cannot get in the way of progress.

In case you missed it, the Indianapolis Colts signed a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist five years after he retired to help deal with a rapidly imploding crisis. Rivers is in the building primarily to mentor rookie Riley Leonard, with whom he has a good relationship. The Colts are without their top two quarterbacks, and their playoff hopes are rapidly diminishing.

It was shocking to me when they didn't aggressively address pass rusher last offseason. But Washington could also identify rushers on rookie deals who might want a trade due to inactivity on a contract extension with their current team. The Jaguars' Travon Walker, Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jets' Jermaine Johnson are among players on expiring rookie deals who could be 2027 free agents.

The Washington Commanders' nightmare season managed to hit another new low in a shutout loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterback Jayden Daniels returned, but dinged up his elbow again and was held out for most of the second half for precautionary reasons. Tight end Zach Ertz, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He took a hard shot to the knee in the third quarter, suffering a season-ending - and possibly career-ending - torn ACL.

The Washington Commanders' wide receiver dynamic was always going to change in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings. Terry McLaurin was entering his second game back, and fellow wideout Noah Brown also got the all-clear to return after a lengthy absence. Someone was going to make way. Treylon Burks, who caught a stunning touchdown catch against the Denver Broncos, saw his snaps diminish and was targeted just once.

The Commanders have the NFL's oldest roster. They have the most pending free agents of any club. They have plenty of salary-cap space but only six draft picks - only two of which are in the first four rounds. Adam Peters has a lot of hard work ahead, and it might take time to put all the correct pieces in place.

Almost two years into his professional career, that's not the case anymore. Newton had a first-round grade with most experts. General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn presented him with the Commander Gold Tag, reserved for primary targets who align with their desired ethos. When he slipped through the cracks and into their laps at No. 36 overall, Washington didn't hesitate to bring him on board.

This was as bad as it could get. The Commanders didn't look like they even belonged on the same field as the Vikings, who had won just four games before the contest. They were unprepared, unmotivated, and lacked the composure needed to stem the tide. Once they got into an early hole, there was no coming back. Quinn looked infuriated and dejected in equal measure after the contest.

When he was coming out of Arkansas in 2022, the most common comparison associated with Treylon Burks was Deebo Samuel Sr. Like the San Francisco 49ers' receiver, he had a body that could overpower smaller defensive backs. He offered the versatility to line up in the backfield as an occasional running back. However, there was a different comp that intrigued the fans of the team that ultimately drafted him, and it turned out to be one that did him no favors.

Mariota gave it his all. He passed for 294 yards and a pair of touchdowns, finding Terry McLaurin in the end zone in overtime to give the Commanders a chance. But the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful. Throughout the contest, NFL fans across the country noticed something else about Mariota. Specifically, about the way NBC's commentary duo of Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth were pronouncing his name. Apparently, we've all been saying "Mariota" wrong this whole time

Adam Peters went all in to mount another deep playoff push during his second recruitment period at the helm. It was commendable to recognize the exceptional strides made in 2024 and to adjust to higher expectations. Unfortunately, it hasn't gone according to plan, so there needs to be a sense of consolidation next spring. Difficult choices are coming. The Commanders have the most pending free agents anywhere in the NFL.