The Washington Commanders have spent the entire offseason adding talent around Jayden Daniels to give him the best chance to lead the NFL franchise in D.C. to a Super Bowl.
Ideally, the Commanders are hoping to make a run at another Lombardi Trophy (or two), before they have to give Daniels a massive contract in three years, which will make it harder to surround him with elite talent.
But general manager Adam Peters has made it abundantly clear the Commanders believe they can compete with the top teams in the NFL and their Super Bowl window is right now.
Coming off a season where Washington shocked the entire league by finishing the regular season with a (12-5) record and reaching their first NFC Championship game since 1991, it’s clear why there is optimism surrounding the Commanders heading into 2025.
As soon as the offseason began, Peters and company started to make significant moves to give Daniels the best chance for success this season. The first major splash was trading for 49ers jack-of-all-trades WR Deebo Samuel. Samuel gives OC Kliff Kingsbury a versatile weapon who can make big plays in the passing game and as a runner.
Shortly after adding Samuel, the Commanders shocked the entire NFL by trading for Texans 5-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. The addition of Tunsil means Daniels’ blindside is protected for the next few years, and Brandon Coleman can now be utilized on the interior of the OL where he played in college.
In the NFL Draft, the Commanders selected Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round and he should be penciled in as the starting RT opposite of Tunsil. Then in the fourth round, Washington added a speedy downfield threat by selecting WR Jaylin Lane out of Virginia Tech.
As it stands, assuming the Commanders get a new deal done with Terry McLaurin, Washington has one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFC.
One of the only remaining questions surrounds the running back position, as starter Brian Robinson Jr. had an underwhelming season in 2024.
David Latham of Last Word on Sports believes the Commanders might make a move for Buffalo Bills RB James Cook, who is currently holding out in hopes for a new contract. Cook is coming off a season where he rushed for more than 1,000 yards and added 16 touchdowns.
Here’s what Latham said:
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook was arguably the team’s most consistent non-Josh Allen weapon last year and is entering the final year of his contract. Now looking for financial security after leading the league with 16 rushing touchdowns last year, the former second-round pick skipped voluntary OTAs while trying to negotiate a new contract. Unfortunately, those talks haven’t gone well. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the two sides were “never very close” to an extension, and nothing has changed since the start of offseason practices.
Brian Robinson is a fine running back, but the former third-round pick is nothing special as a talent. Washington has franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels on a cost-controlled contract for the foreseeable future and, unlike the Bills, can afford to pay up for a luxury like James Cook. While he won’t single-handedly get this team to the Super Bowl, he could be the missing piece that helps take this organization to the next level after their impressive 2024.
