Adam Peters and Lance Newmark talk about free agency, the draft, and bringing the right people into the building

Washington Commanders GM and AGM talk to the media

It’s draft week, and we’ve got Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters and assistant general manager Lance Newmark in Ashburn. Offseason activities started today, and the NFL draft kicks off Thursday night at 8 pm ET in Green Bay, WI. The Commanders currently have five picks heading into the draft, starting with No. 29 overall in the first round.

Peters and Newmark talked about setting up their options in this year’s draft with the players they brought in via free agency and trades. He was asked again about trading down, and he kept all options open(except 1st round QB). Peters said they won’t waver on the kind of people they want to bring into the building, and that plays a big part in their decisions.

Opening Statement:

Thank you all for coming. Really fun, exciting week for all of us in the building for the draft, but then also it’s really cool, all the players are back. So, everybody was sitting in these seats right now. I think you guys are in Jayden’s seat. You’re in Bobby’s seat right there. And so, we got a big crew coming back. So, a ton of juice in the building. As you guys can see, a lot of cool things are happening around the building with the construction and everything. So, really thrilled about all that, a lot of good stuff coming down.

And then this weekend’s going to be a lot of fun too, with the draft. So, what I’d like to do first and then we’ll hand it out to questions is just thank some people. And it’s really, the draft is so cool because it’s the whole organization. It’s not just myself, not just Lance. It’s everybody, right? But it starts with the scouts and the college scouts, and they’re working tirelessly from really, starting now in until next year’s draft on all the guys that we’re going to be picking for next year. So, I’d like to single those folks out and a few others, and then we can get rolling.

But first the gentleman to my right here, Lance Newmark, thank you, our assistant general manager. Scott Fitterer has done a great job. He came over from Carolina and has been an outstanding resource to our staff and really cool to have him here. Doug Williams, you all know him. He’s fantastic and the same thing, just a great sounding board for myself, for all our staff, a great person to look up to. And he also really understands our players that are in this building and then in the draft as well.

David Blackburn, who we just hired, is our Director of Player Personnel this last year, has done an excellent job. Tim Gribble, our director of college scouting, he’s going to be the most fun guy at the draft party after the draft because he has put in so much work, watched tirelessly. There’s so many guys and so many prospects and aggregate so much information. So, really thankful for what he’s done this year. Jeff Beathard, our National Scout. We got Tyler Claytor, our Blesto Scout. And Chuck Cook, if you guys don’t know this, he was awarded the CEO Brocado Lifetime Achievement Award for scouting. And it was a big deal, he was given an award at the combine. If you see him, please congratulate him. And he’s also, I just found out it’s his 40th draft, so it’s pretty darn cool. Dwaune Jones, another National Scout, Pete Picerelli, Dustin Reagan, Ron Rose, and Paul Skansi. And then Roger Terry is our college scouting staff.

So, it’s an awesome group of guys, really fun to be around. It’s great when they’re in the building. They came in here for two weeks and then left for Easter, now they’re back here for this week. So, they’ve been away from their families a lot, and then especially this month. But they’re working really hard and so just wanted to single them out.

And then just everybody else, the R&D department, Seenu and our football solutions team, the developers, creating a really cool scouting database for us. Then you get the coaches involved, and the coaches are incredible. They work really hard in the draft. Video, IT, the doctors, football ops, equipment, the kitchen, Connor, you guys know those guys, they cook for all of us. Dylan and his team, team security. And then last but not least our guy over here, Sean. So, honestly, it’s everybody and that’s what’s so cool about the draft. So, I just wanted to thank everybody.

Exciting time:

Go Caps!:

Congratulations on the win last night. Congratulations to our friend Spencer, and best of luck to them and Ovi. That was incredible last night. I’ve become a huge Caps fan since I’ve been here, so best of luck to them.

Trading down, up, or stick and pick:

Well, we talked about this at the owners meetings a little bit, and you’re really open to everything and you’re open to moving up if the right moves up. If Abdul Carter falls to 27, I might want to try to move up two and get him, but if there’s a great player that we want to sit and pick, we’ll do that. But if there’s an opportunity to move back, then we’re certainly open to that too.

With five picks, like you said, that’s something you’d like to do is add picks, but you always have to have somebody who wants to come up too. And we’ll find that out, we’re making those calls this week, and we’ll have an idea of who wants to come up and if we want do that. And we’ll also have an idea of who wants to move back in the first round ahead of us. And so, we’ll know what we can do there.

Positions he prefers not to draft in the first round:

l think you could really go anywhere in the first round. Last year we went quarterback, I don’t think we’ll do that this year [laughs]. But I think what we’ve done is we’ve made ourselves, given ourselves optionality to pick anywhere. So, I don’t think we have a philosophy of going premium positions, or quote unquote premium positions in any round. It’s really just trying to pick the best Commander for us that’s going to help us the most.

How the success of the team effects the draft process:

AP: Yeah, I think, well one, a lot of that’s about opportunity and if you can get guys on longer contracts, obviously you’d like to, you’d like to have as many picks as you can, but the way we’re structured currently, we’ll have to do that for a little bit and do these one year deals. But I feel really good about our staff, our scouting staff and our coaching staff, identifying the right guys to get on those one-year deals. And a lot of those guys we brought back this year, which really proud of and really glad that we brought those guys back.

So, I really have a great trust in those staffs to be able to identify those guys. And it’s not something you want to live and keep doing over and over and over again. But until we get a really good foundation of draft picks over the years, we’re going to probably keep doing that. And as long as we bring in the right guys, it’s okay.

LN: Yeah. I mean, two years in a row we’ve gone to the combine with our roster in the high 40s, and we’ve been at the draft in the 70s. So, we’ve really been productive in those 60 days, two years in a row. And I think every time we’ve brought somebody in, we’ve had a plan for them. It’s been sincere, like, ‘Hey, we think this guy’s a chance to do something here.’

And it’s going back to your original point, I do feel that we have a great foundation here in terms of getting people into this building and maximizing what they have to offer in terms of potential and helping them reach their best, their personal best. I do think it’s a really good environment for people to develop.

Free agency set up options in the draft:

AP: Yeah, exactly. I think that was the goal of it, in free agency, it was to do that, so, we don’t have to force something. I think we put ourselves in a really good position to not force something and really, we have a lot of players that we think we can take, whether we sit at 29 or trade up, trade back but we don’t have to just say, okay, we need to look at these three, you know, position x’s or these two position Y’s. We can look at all these guys across the board and say, okay, who’s going to help us the most this next year? And then for years to come.”

LN: l think you have to prepare for every eventuality in the draft. You know, you don’t know who you’re going to get in free agency. You have goals and you have exciting hopes for guys. And, the road, I would say to the draft changes throughout the course of the scouting year. We end up at this point where we feel really good about our options. And I think at every pick we can look at who we feel the best players are, what position they play, how they affect us in 2025, how they affect us beyond that, and make the best decision for our organization. And we’ll have, we’ve already had a lot of really good conversations and we’ll continue to do that and then pick by pick what’s there for us, what’s the best decision, you know, and it’s great to have that freedom and that, you know, kind of mindset where we can really do what we think is best and not be, you know, really tied to need.

Expectations this season for DT Jer’Zhan Newton, TE Ben Sinnott, and LB Jordan Magee:

AP: Yeah, those guys, it’s cool that you asked about those three because all three of them have been here working in this building for quite some time. We just started today with the offseason program, but they’ve been working their tails off really for the last couple months. I see them in here almost every day. So, really excited about each of their futures. They’re the right types of guys. They’re the guys we want, they’re Commanders. And so, I think you’ll see a big jump in each and every one of those guy’s play this year.

LN: Yeah, I would echo that they’re three guys that are extremely dedicated to getting better. Like you said, they’re Commanders. They’ve worked really hard this offseason to improve physically, mentally, every part of the game. They want to be contributors next year, and they’re doing everything they can to do that. So, they’re definitely wired the right way and they’ve worked really hard to be in position to do that.

The process of vetting a player with character concerns:

Yeah, that’s a great question. And it really starts with the scouts and that that’s where all the hours that they put in and all the information, all the people they talk to with the schools and the player’s hometown and everywhere else, they dig up anything they can to find out what makes each of these guys tick. And so, you say a character concern and we drafted a guy in San Francisco who had character concerns, and he turned out to be one of the best players at his position, one of the best teammates I’ve ever seen, one of the best locker room guys and just an outstanding human being.

So, you got to be careful where you get that information and who’s giving you that information and know your sources and all of that. But each thing, each character concern is really case by case. And you really figure out what the incident, if it’s an incident, what it was, why that happened, find out all the information from them, from everybody you can in order to make the best decision for your team.

And there’s a wide spectrum of character concerns from, you have off the field things, you have football character, there’s not really character, but then mental and learning that you look into. So, all those different things play into it, but everything’s case by case and try to get as much information as you can.

Types of players they want in the building:

Leadership still a factor in drafting players with a culture that is already set last year:

l think you’re still always looking for those types of guys no matter what. Now the draft isn’t always going to fall that way, but I don’t think we’re ever going to waiver from the types of people we want to bring in this building. And whether they’re captains at college or not, I mean, whether they’re leaders or not, quote unquote leaders, people lead different ways. But we’re just going to try to bring in good people. And so if they were captains in college, that’s great, that shows you something. But if they weren’t captains, that doesn’t mean they’re not leaders and, and they can’t become those and can’t become the types of guys we want in our building.

Deep DE class:

It’s a deep class, which is cool. There’s something I think for everybody, whether you’re 4-3, 34 team or multiple. There’s guys that are great against the pass. There are guys that are really good against the run. So whether you’re taking that high in the draft or somewhere deeper, there’s going to be some good players there. So, that along with a lot of other positions, we’ll be open to taking.

And I think what’s cool is even though we have some really good players in each of those rooms, whether it’s edge or Oline or corner, which I’m sure you guys are going to ask about that too, but, we have really good players, but DQ preaches competition. So those guys are going to come in and compete and the best guys are going to play. You can’t have too many good players in a room.

How he defines the best available player in the Draft:

l think it’s probably just the best fit for our team, you know, in terms of how they fit in our locker room, how they fit in our scheme and what we’re looking for. So that could be any position, right? So, I don’t want to keep saying this because Ben made fun of me for saying this, but we’re in a position where we can take the best available and we can stay true to our board. And so we feel really good about that so we don’t have to reach for a position that we feel we need, that we may be talking ourselves into.

What the next 48 hours will look like:

That’s a great question. It’s probably different for every team, and sometimes it’s different every year. I think the next 48 hours we’re just really refining our board and just making sure we’re challenging ourselves on different scenarios, different things that make come up. You got two players right next to each other, who would you take and why? And talking to the coaches and how would this player fit, does he fit your vision?

And so the board’s pretty much set. It’s just like a little bit of tinkering here and there, and then you make some phone calls too. You make some phone calls, like, okay, you want to come up? Do you want to come down? And, and just get an idea of what’s going to be available for you so you’re not making all those decisions in real time in those 10 minutes that you have. So, it’s a fun couple of days. It’s cool to have all the scouts here and really exciting.

Draft board set, gauging interest for deals:

Input from players on potential draft picks:

There’s always some input on draft picks and just kind of like your evaluators, you always kind of trust some guys more than the others, but, they’re not all created equal in terms of evaluators. But yeah, it’s actually we’ll listen, you get information anywhere and always lean into those guys and their relationships and, and if its, Hey, will this guy fit in our bloodstream? You know, this is our type of guy but we don’t really get into the skills and technical evaluations like that, but certainly all ears to any information.

Differences in this draft process from others in the past:

We probably both go back to carbon paper and certainly beta tapes. So a lot’s changed and it’s changing every year. Even last year to this year we got a new draft room, which is really cool, a lot of cool bells and whistles in that. So there’s always new information out there. It’s always evolving and you’re always trying to stay ahead of that and really be on the cutting edge to find any edge to help your team. Just like you’re trying to every edge in a game, every edge you can, every little bit of information you can to make the best decisions in scouting and for the draft.

The moment when talking to the newest Commander:

Yeah, the first one was really nerve wracking and I didn’t know what I wrote down what I was going to say and making sure I said it right and all that. It was a big pick. But then after that it was really fun. It’s actually really cool to hear the joy in the players’ voices. Really cool to hear the joy in the background of their family. It gets you emotional, you know, they’re emotional. It kind of gets you emotional and makes you really happy. You realize what a big moment it is for them. And they’ve worked their whole lives to get there, and they have their loved ones around them to celebrate with them. So it ends up being the coolest part making those phone calls for sure.

Comfort level for his second Draft as GM:

We’ve done everything once so that’s good understanding all of that. We’re in a different draft room, which is cool. It’s better now but I don’t think there’s a whole lot different to be honest with you. I think there’s always, I don’t ever want to be comfortable or relaxed. I always want to have a little bit of an edge and make sure that, you know, we’re crossing every T dotting and every I making sure we’re leaving no stone unturned.

And what I do love is the people we’re working with and the coaches and the scouts, the way they work together, the way they really pour everything into it, even after a long season, the coaches turned the page and jumped right into it. And just the teamwork, the camaraderie, and just another year of doing that together, everybody knows what to expect so you’re not teaching everything for the first time.

So, I thought the process was really good this year and we’ll continue to tweak it and get it better, but certainly pleased from where we’re at.

Trades in the division:

Yeah, that’s another really good question. You think about that, but I think it’s like a lot of things on a case by case and what is the trade? Is it the best move for your team? And I don’t personally believe in being scared about trading with a team within your division. If you think that trade’s a good value for you and you can get some good picks to help your team get better, then definitely consider it.

Some cases it won’t be, and so some cases you think, all right, maybe we don’t want to do that for whatever reason. But I don’t think that we’ll ever shy away from that, taking those calls. And a lot of times you’ll have a lot of picks or a lot of trades kind of lined up. And in that particular instance, the Eagles trade was by far the best trade in terms of value that we got. So we made that trade.

Projecting the 1st round:

Draft strategy changes after finding your QB:

Yeah, I think that’s every team that wants that right, is to get your quarterback. And so we feel great, not only about [QB] Jayden [Daniels], but about the whole quarterback room and we feel awesome about that room. And so now, I mean how it opens it up, we don’t have to look for a quarterback anymore, which is cool and really just looking for ways to support him and the rest of the team make them better.

Wide receiver considered being drafted with the first-round pick?:

Yeah, I think really every team every year is a little bit different, right? And so if we’re really just what’s the best player that’s going to help us now and in the future, because that room’s going to change next year, just like every other room in our building’s going to change each year, it’s going to evolve. So if the best player, we think this is a player that’s going to help us more than any other position, then we won’t hesitate to take that.

Biggest challenge this year:

Yeah, I think, I mean, we’re all starting at the bottom again. I lost that game more times than I wish to say, so it kind of stinks, but you don’t just start there. You don’t just start back in the championship game. You start at the bottom with everybody else, so that’s the biggest challenge, building back up. But l, you know, take the lessons that you learned that year, you know, the good and the bad of your team, and there’s a lot more good than bad for sure. There’s very little bad. And just try to do the things that kinda help you put yourself over the edge for the next year.

But it really starts right now, started today, which was really cool. And I think we got a lot of great men in this room that they’re not in this room right now, but that sit in this room for the guys, there’s a lot ofgreat men and women in this room currently. Talking about some of our players but, I think, you know, I totally lost my train of thought, but it’s going to be a fun challenge and I know our guys are up to it.

Building the draft board with pick 29 compared to earlier picks:

Yeah, I think that’s another really good question. There are guys that we know that aren’t gonna be there, so I mean, if they were there, yeah, we’d take ‘em, but we’re fairly certain they’re not gonna be there. But there is a group of, I don’t know, this draft is interesting just ‘cause very little certainty after, you know, the first 10 picks or so of who’s gonna go where and why and what’s gonna happen and all that.

So, we have to be ready for a lot of different guys to fall to us or to not fall to us. And so, we have done that where we’ve done an exercise where we just ranked, you know, this group of guys, however many it is. It could be 10, it could be five, it could be 20 of okay, will they be there? All right, and if these guys are there, should we stay and pick, or should we trade down? Should we trade up to go get one?

So really challenge ourselves to do that before we fell on the clock. That way we ^l d have, we’d be able to make a decision pretty quickly.

Growth with his experiences here in Washington so far, and GM aspirations:

I try to go every into every day, ‘Hey, how can we get better? What can I learn?’ And I’ve learned a lot from him. I don’t know if he’s learned anything from me, but I feel like, I feel like we complement each other really well, and it’s been a great experience. I feel like I’ve really grown in a lot of different ways, and I think as long as you’re open to that you can do that in any situation. But this one has been really special just because, like you said earlier, the people that we’re doing it with.

Characteristics of the people on the team that make them a Commander:

Oh, well, I mean, there’s some basic characteristics that you kinda look for in just about any football player of any team, right? And, but really just seeing the competitive spirit of a lot of theguys. I mean, you throw in like Frankie Luvu’s competitive spirit, you know, Bobby Wagner’s professionalism, his consistency, his leadership.

You know, I can go down the line, but I think there’s so many different things that really go into that. It’s not a one size fits all, I don’t think either. But the guys that are great competitors, that are great teammates, love football and I think those are probably the three biggest factors that would go into it.

What made last year’s draft so successful and how he goes about trying to repeat that:

I think it started right when we got here with our collaboration with the coaches and, you know, and we all sat in this room and the coaches presented what they were looking for at each position. And not only did our personnel staff get to understand what the coaches were looking for, but during that time, we got to get to know each other and bond and create relationships and create really good working relationships.

So, you could have really good conversations about players and understanding okay, what we’re looking for at each position. And then from there, just really focusing on guys that we think would fit really well in this culture, which really hadn’t been set, but we had an idea of what that culture was, was gonna look like.

And so, sticking with those two things, getting players that we all really were committed to, that we were kind of agreed upon in terms of both coaching and scouting and then getting the right types of people in here. We were able to do that and I’m really proud of the guys we brought in.

How the coordinators factor into the decision making during the draft:

The coaches are really involved. The coordinators are really involved in the draft process. And so, when we’re going through our draft meetings, every position we go through in offense,

Kliff is in there meeting with us, which is, you know, it’s a long, long time for a coordinator to be in a meeting room and then for the defense, Joe’s in there. So, they both give their opinions on really every player that we talk about. And so, they put a ton of work in and they do a great job of teaching us their vision for the player. If there’s a player they really like, or the player that maybe they think is a good player, but maybe we don’t have a vision for them or they aren’t the best fit for us.

So really, constant dialogue between those, you know, during those meetings and then really from those meetings when they finished up last week until really until Thursday night and through the weekend, just understanding, okay, what do you think here between these two guys? We’ll come to a decision altogether, but their input is, you know, really important for us.