Why Commanders Biggest Offseason Addition Was To The Front Office

ESPN Names Washington Commanders Biggest Addition, Needs, & Biggest Surprise Heading Into 2024

Feb 5, 2024; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn (L) smiles as Commanders / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders have made it well known that they have the fullest intention of changing the perception of their franchise around the league. They made some big-time hires within the front office as well as with the coaching staff, and have now put together a changing of the guard with their roster this offseason.

With the new era in Washington in full swing it will draw the attention of many throughout the 2024 season. Things may not click right away, but seeing any sort of change when it comes to results on the field and within the culture will be imperative for the franchise as they move forward.

READ MORE: Coach Dan Quinn's Influence Felt Early

The influx of newness within the organization gave ESPN the ability to examine the buzz surrounding the Commanders tabbing new GM Adam Peters as the team's biggest addition this offseason - going against an obvious choice in QB Jayden Daniels.

"General manager Adam Peters. Clearly, Daniels could end up being the face of the franchise, but Washington has needed a strong GM for years. The organization has needed someone who can build a consistent winner, and if his decisions at head coach (Quinn) and draft picks pay off, then Washington will finally emerge from a long period of poor seasons. Peters' penchant for finding talent beyond the first round helped build the 49ers. His drafts will be a huge key to any success in Washington -- and inconsistent drafts are, in part, why the organization has struggled for so long."

I tend to agree with this. Having a strong head of the snake will only make the rest of the beast stronger, and Peters has proven that he knows how to get things done the proper way from his time with the San Francisco 49ers. Despite having a solid offseason with free agency and the draft, there are still some holes that the team should address as we inch closer to the start of the preseason - one of which ESPN points out is suring up the offensive line.

"Determine the starting left tackle and solidify the corner position. Third-round pick Brandon Coleman was considered a guard or tackle by evaluators but will play left tackle for Washington. If he can't handle it, then veteran backup Cornelius Lucas will have to start. Lucas is best as a short-term solution. Second-round pick Mike Sainristil should start as a slot corner, but questions remain outside, including whether last year's first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes can be a quality starter."

Offensive line absolutely should be the one area where the Commanders should look to improve. They addressed many of the other areas of concern, but there still needs to be some ironing out along the offensive trenches. Last season, it seemed like former QB Sam Howell was constantly having to escape the pocket and make plays happen after the play broke down. Even by bringing in Daniels, who is an elite dual-threat player, they will want to keep him as clean as possible there in the backfield.

When looking at who the Commanders were able to add to their roster this offseason, ESPN named second-round selection TE Ben Sinnott as the player who will be the biggest surprise for the team in 2024.

READ MORE: Kliff Kingsbury Isn't Like Other Commanders Coordinators

"There are multiple candidates in the secondary, including corner Benjamin St-Juste, thanks to improved coaching. But let's go with second-round tight end Ben Sinnott. He can reduce the load on veteran Zach Ertz in the pass game, perhaps catching around 30 to 35 passes. Kingsbury loves using two-tight-end packages -- Arizona ran the seventh-most two-tight-end sets in his final three seasons as its head coach. But Sinnott will also help the run game as a blocker out of the backfield in particular; he can help Daniels on some zone read carries as well."

This makes sense given the history of new OC Kliff Kingsbury and being able to utilize Sinnott along with Ertz while getting the older Ertz some rest should play in very well given the talents that Sinnott possesses as a balanced TE.

On paper, the Commanders can look to compete in the NFC East and make some noise this season. What remains to be seen is if it will take effect so quickly. The blueprint is there, see the Houston Texans in 2023, but it will take a collective group effort from top to bottom to get things moving in the right direction.

---

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

Follow Caleb on Twitter