Adam Peters had his work cut out for him when he took over as Washington Commanders’ general manager in January. First, he had to hire a coach. Once Peters found his coach, he began working to improve Washington’s 4-13 roster.
The good news for Peters is that he entered the offseason with an NFL-leading $90 million in salary-cap room and nine selections in the 2024 NFL draft, including six in the top 100.
Peters took a wrecking ball to Ron Rivera’s roster. Washington signed over 20 outside free agents and chose to bring back only a handful of the team’s free agents. In the draft, the Commanders selected nine players and signed 11 undrafted free agents.
So, when Washington began Offseason Training Activities (OTAs) earlier this month, at least half of the 90-man roster was new. Two positions Peters overhauled were quarterback and linebacker.
How is the Commanders’ roster viewed across the NFL?
Pro Football Focus recently ranked all 32 NFL rosters, with Washington coming in at No. 27.
Here’s PFF’s explanation:
Biggest strength in 2023: Rushing Offense
The Commanders struggled across the board last season but ranked 15th in rushing grade. Capable ball-carriers like Brian Robinson and Chris Rodriguez Jr. led the way. The issue for the run game was a lack of designed carries due to the team being behind so often. The incumbent running backs, along with new quarterback Jayden Daniels, should give Washington a functional rushing attack in 2024 and beyond.
Biggest weakness in 2023: Run Defense
The Commanders allowed the most points in the NFL last season, and the primary culprit was a run-defense unit that finished 31st in run-defense grade last season. They’ve since added viable players at multiple levels, including linebackers Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu. Head coach Dan Quinn is making his new defense a priority.
It’s difficult to know how many more wins Washington will have in 2024. The roster is certainly better, and there’s no way Dan Quinn’s defense will rank 32nd in the NFL. Until we see them on the field this fall, the Commanders are a mystery, which explains why their roster ranking is so low.