Adam Peters is wheeling and dealing his way through a memorable first offseason as Washington Commanders' general manager. There was a big job awaiting the respected front-office figure when he left the San Francisco 49ers. It was a challenge to relish - getting one of the league's most historic franchises back on its feet.
The Commanders' roster got a significant makeover under Peters' guidance. This was critical after another mundane showing in 2023 - the end of Ron Rivera's indifferent four-year stint as head coach. Morale was at an all-time low and fans endured more despair. That could be about to change with improved direction and professionalism across the board.
Peters is aggressive, striking with conviction when opportunities arise, and taking the best deals available via trade regardless of division rivalry. Everyone has a price and very few are safe. Another example of this newfound ethos arrived when defensive tackle John Ridgeway III was traded to the New Orleans Saints.
Interest was reportedly high in Ridgeway once the Commanders let it be known he was available. The Saints came up with the best offer, sending a sixth-round pick to Washington in exchange for the interior presence and a seventh-rounder.
Ridgeway was deemed expendable after the Commanders spent a second-round selection on Johnny Newton to end his dramatic draft slide. They've also witnessed some encouraging progress from Phidarian Mathis in recent weeks, so his spot was earned on the depth chart behind the starting defensive tackle tandem of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.
Peters deserves credit for getting something back in return for a player who was probably going to get cut. That wasn't the case with everybody, but it's proof that no stone will be left unturned in pursuit of progression.
It's also worth remembering that Peters is working with a long-term goal in mind. The Commanders want to make gradual improvements, but the objective is to build a sustainable model through the draft and supplement any remaining needs in free agency. This will take time, so the project needs some semblance of patience attached if things don't go quite according to plan initially.
Washington's draft coffers look a lot better now than they did just a few short weeks ago. Here's how things stand in 2025 following the team's decision to remove Ridgeway from the equation.
Commanders 2025 NFL Draft picks after John Ridgeway III trade
- Round No. 1
- Round No. 2
- Round No. 3
- Round No. 3
- Round No. 4
- Round No. 6
- Round No. 6
- Round No. 7
There could be more before the big selection process arrives. The Commanders might look to part ways with some established veterans before the trade deadline depending on how things go over the first half of 2024. Of course, this is something those in power pulled the trigger on last year when the defensive end duo of Montez Sweat and Chase Young were sent packing.
Fans are approaching the upcoming campaign with cautious optimism. They've been damaged by almost two decades of constant underachievement. At the same time, there is legitimate hope that the Commanders are in safe hands, moving forward with a collective purpose in pursuit of one common purpose.
It's been a long time since they could say that.
