NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
Expectations might have been low for the Washington Commanders last season, but you have to admit they far exceeded them. The only problem is, once you’ve exceeded expectations, it only grows those expectations from that point out. The Commanders are arguably in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL consisting of the current Super Bowl champs. Can they step up and meet these expectations, or will they take a step back this season?
Looking at their offseason moves so far, they’ve brought back key playmakers but also plenty of free agents. Breaking down these moves, a lot of the contracts offered are short-term answers. This provides us with a peek behind the curtain. Either the Commanders are looking to win now, or they’re trying to maintain a level of play until they get the players they need to be difference-makers.
Truth be told, it’s more than likely the former rather than the latter. Jayden Daniels stepped in and wowed the crowd last year, and Washington is already making moves to try and avoid the sophomore slump. All too often, the team has made linear moves once they get decent pay out of their QB position. For once, the Washington Commanders are upgrading and building around Daniels.
That’s the key difference between the old regime and the new one, and maybe that’s the separation the team needed to get better. The old Commanders would see the play they got out of the offense last year and shift focus to the other side of the football. They’d be comfortable with the status quo. This offseason alone, they went out and acquired Laremy Tunsil to protect Daniels in the passing game. They went out and got Deebo Samuel and Michael Gallup to pair with Terry McLaurin. They brought back Zach Ertz for consistency at the tight end position.
There’s a small chance the Commenders regress this season, but it won’t be because they made unilateral moves in the offseason. They’re currently set up to have 8 picks in this year’s draft, and they’ve already dramatically improved their offense. Sure, there might be a couple of holes to fill that can be decided once camp cuts start, but their defense can be the focal point of this year’s draft. Unlike the previous regime, who did just enough to keep a full roster and relied primarily on the draft, the new look Commanders were very aggressive to prevent a sophomore slump. The Washington Commanders could very well be the team to beat in the NFC East.
