The Commanders’ 2024 draft class and undrafted rookie class reported to training camp on July 18, and now the veterans are reporting on Tuesday.
Reporting will be each of the veterans who return from the 2023 team, which finished 4-13, earning the second overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
General Manager Adam Peters’ first free-agent class will also report. Peters’ first move upon taking over the job was to release veterans Logan Thomas, Charles Leno, and Nick Gates.
Peters then determined to sign veteran tight end Zach Ertz. Ertz was available because the Cardinals had waived him on November 30. In January, the Lions signed Ertz to their practice squad but did not re-sign him for 2024. Thus, a free agent, Ertz was signed by Washington.
Once the 2024 free agency signing period opened, Peters was busy. He signed LB Anthony Pittman, LB Bobby Wagner, K Brandon McManus, DE Dante Fowler Jr,, DE Dorance Armstrong Jr., LB Frankie Luvu, S Jeremy Chinn, QB Marcus Mariota, G Nick Allegretti, C Tyler Biadasz, LS Tyler Ott, RB Austin Ekeler, DE Clelin Ferrell, CB Michael Davis, CB Noah Igbinoghene, CB James Pierre, C/G Michael Deiter, QB Jeff Driskel, RB Jeremy McNichols, WR Olamide Zaccheaus, LB Mykal Walker, DL Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi, LB Bo Bauer, WR Damiere Byrd, K Ramiz Ahmed,
Peters also re-signed Commanders’ veteran free agents: DL Efe Obada, S Jeremy Reaves, WR Jamison Crowder, and OT Cornelius Lucas.
Peters also made one other move on March 15: He traded Commanders starting quarterback Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks. In the trade, Seattle received Howell and picks No. 102 and No. 179 in the 2024 draft, while the Commanders received selections No. 78 and No. 152.
Consequently, there has not been this much significant change to the Washington roster since George Allen was hired in 1971. Allen then traded voluminous draft picks to multiple teams for various aging veteran players. One sports writer noted how so many of the Redskins players had been with Allen when he was head coach of the Rams that he coined the term “Ramskins” in an attempt to describe the new composition of the 1971 team.
Peters has been tremendously busy as well, attempting to find any number of ways he can to improve a team that was the worst in the NFL at the end of the 2023 season, losing 13 of their final 15 games, several by blowouts.