Every year, the NFL has surprise teams. In 2023, it was the Houston Texans. With a third head coach in three seasons, the Texans finished 3-13-1 in 2022 and won the right to pick No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL draft.
The Texans fired head coach Lovie Smith and hired 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to replace him. With the No. 2 pick, the Texans drafted Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and the rest was history.
Houston went 10-7 and won the AFC South and a wild-card game. Ryans narrowly missed being named the NFL coach of the year, and Stroud was named the NFL offensive rookie of the year.
There is hope the Washington Commanders can follow a similar blueprint in 2024.
Washington has a new GM (Adam Peters) and head coach (Dan Quinn) and has the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, which it will likely use on a potential franchise quarterback.
The Commanders have the most salary cap space in the NFL and hold five selections among the top 100 picks in the draft.
Nate Davis of USA TODAY Sports recently named 10 teams that are positioned to make major progress in 2024. He was Washington at No. 2 behind Chicago — much like the NFL draft order.
With nearly $74 million in the coffers, most in the league, heading into free agency, no team will have more spending power – and that likely wouldn’t diminish much even if CB Kendall Fuller remains. But new GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn should really be able to get their tenure off to a nice start in the draft, where the Commanders are slotted second overall – a spot almost sure to be ticketed for their latest crack at a franchise passer – and also have two picks in Rounds 2 (36th and 40th overall) and 3 following the midseason trades of DEs Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
Repeating Houston’s success seems almost impossible. While Washington should land an elite prospect under center, so much would need to go right for the Commanders to win the NFC East in Quinn’s first season.
Washington will be better in 2024. How much better? We shall see.