Washington fans eagerly awaited the release of the latest edition of “Commanders Log” to see behind-the-scenes footage of the 2024 NFL draft.
The latest video, “At the Top of the Pile,” begins with Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Green learning his number was being retired. This happened in April, but thanks to the Commanders, fans were allowed to see things from Green’s perspective.
From there, we get footage from inside Washington’s draft room, where general manager Adam Peters was joined by head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., owner Josh Harris, and others in the front office.
We see when the Commanders called quarterback Jayden Daniels to inform him he was the No. 2 overall pick, and we hear from Daniels, too. Throughout the 50-minute video, we see Harris asking questions and Peters and Quinn keeping him informed. It was the type of collaboration we’ve heard them say was happening behind closed doors.
There was one moment during “Commanders Log” when we truly saw Peters, a first-time GM, in action. Peters was on the phone with Eagles GM Howie Roseman. Roseman is one of the NFL’s best and loves to make deals. He often wins those deals.
In his dealings with Peters, he tried to sneak one by the Washington boss, but Peters had none of it. Roseman insisted on pick No. 210 being included to finish the deal, while Peters said he needed No. 161. Peters got what he wanted.
He later joked with Roseman that he was a “pain in the ass” but said to his peers later that while the longtime Philly GM drove a hard bargain, he was “a good man.”
What did we learn here?
This was Peters’ first NFL draft, and with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he was calm and relaxed. He made deals, kept his staff and boss aware of what was happening, and didn’t flinch when Roseman tried to talk him out of what he wanted.
Here’s the interaction:
Here’s #Eagles GM Howie Roseman and #Commanders GM Adam Peters discussing their Round 2 trade, which landed Philadelphia CB Cooper DeJean.
Roseman insisted on including pick 210 instead of 161.
Peters: “You’re a pain in the a**”
Howie eventually gave in.
This is A++… pic.twitter.com/8wQ0EDbPGj
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 14, 2024
You can’t judge Peters until we see what happens on the field. However, after years of preparing for the role in Denver and San Francisco, Washington may be the team that’s finally rewarded for landing Peters. Long called one of the NFL’s best evaluators, Peters has routinely been praised for how he treats others.
The 2024 NFL draft could change the fortunes of the Commanders for a long time—not just because of Daniels but because of the players Washington picked on Day 2. Peters noted that only 20 players were given gold tags by Peters and his staff. During the Commanders’ first three picks, he landed three of those players.
If multiple players from this draft class hit, they will build a statue of Peters outside of the new stadium. We are joking — sort of. Fans have waited years for a true GM, and Harris hired the best possible candidate he could find. Since Peters accepted the job, he has surrounded himself with other high-level executives who left good jobs to come and work for him. These are the types of executives who never would’ve considered Washington previously.
Times have changed in Washington, and fans have every reason to be excited for the 2024 season and beyond