The Washington Commanders are officially done for the season after a dislocated elbow suffered by quarterback Jayden Daniels ended their campaign. The team's disappointing performance can be attributed to several strategic mistakes made by the front office.
Firstly, the team regressed from last year's impressive 12-4 record, with an unsustainable 20-23 4th down conversion rate in 2024 that has now plummeted to 6 of 13 this season. This regression was predictable, given their significant improvement in wins from 2023 to 2024.
Furthermore, the Commanders made a series of poor trades for expensive veteran players, including Laremy Tunsil, Deebo Samuel, and Marshon Lattimore. While these signings were touted as upgrades, they ultimately proved costly, with the team now paying $43 million in lost draft picks to the teams that acquired them.
In addition, the Commanders signed or re-signed 19 players over the age of 30, many of whom will no longer be on the roster by next season. This strategy was questionable, as it hindered the development of young players like Daniels.
The team's defense has also been a concern all season, and their pass defense is now ranked 29th in the league. The run defense has shown slight improvement but remains a work-in-progress.
Another issue plaguing the Commanders is the reliance on quarterback Jayden Daniels' rushing ability to carry the offense. With Daniels out for the season, the team will have to find new ways to generate scoring.
The front office's decision-making was also called into question, particularly in regards to head coach Dan Quinn, who left the game in the 4th quarter with the Commanders trailing by 38 points. His decision to keep Daniels in the game ultimately sealed their fate.
With two picks in the first four rounds of the draft next year, and virtually nothing on the roster to build upon, the Commanders will have a long road ahead of them in rebuilding.
In the NFC hierarchy, the Falcons are right behind the Commanders with a 3-5 record. The Cowboys trail by one game but have been explosive on offense. The Panthers, Lions, Packers, Seahawks, Rams, Buccaneers, and Eagles round out the top seven teams in the conference.
Firstly, the team regressed from last year's impressive 12-4 record, with an unsustainable 20-23 4th down conversion rate in 2024 that has now plummeted to 6 of 13 this season. This regression was predictable, given their significant improvement in wins from 2023 to 2024.
Furthermore, the Commanders made a series of poor trades for expensive veteran players, including Laremy Tunsil, Deebo Samuel, and Marshon Lattimore. While these signings were touted as upgrades, they ultimately proved costly, with the team now paying $43 million in lost draft picks to the teams that acquired them.
In addition, the Commanders signed or re-signed 19 players over the age of 30, many of whom will no longer be on the roster by next season. This strategy was questionable, as it hindered the development of young players like Daniels.
The team's defense has also been a concern all season, and their pass defense is now ranked 29th in the league. The run defense has shown slight improvement but remains a work-in-progress.
Another issue plaguing the Commanders is the reliance on quarterback Jayden Daniels' rushing ability to carry the offense. With Daniels out for the season, the team will have to find new ways to generate scoring.
The front office's decision-making was also called into question, particularly in regards to head coach Dan Quinn, who left the game in the 4th quarter with the Commanders trailing by 38 points. His decision to keep Daniels in the game ultimately sealed their fate.
With two picks in the first four rounds of the draft next year, and virtually nothing on the roster to build upon, the Commanders will have a long road ahead of them in rebuilding.
In the NFC hierarchy, the Falcons are right behind the Commanders with a 3-5 record. The Cowboys trail by one game but have been explosive on offense. The Panthers, Lions, Packers, Seahawks, Rams, Buccaneers, and Eagles round out the top seven teams in the conference.
! It's like they went from a team that had all the pieces to win it all last year to one that can barely get 3 wins in a row this season 
. I mean, who makes those crazy trades? Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel are total busts, man 
! And why did they keep keeping guys over 30 on the roster? It's like they're trying to waste draft picks or something 
I'm so hyped for the draft next year though! The Commanders are gonna need some serious talent to turn this ship around 
. And don't even get me started on those trades for Laremy Tunsil, Deebo Samuel, and Marshon Lattimore - so many $$$ wasted 
. I mean, what were they thinking? It's all coming back to bite them now that Daniels is out for the season 
. That just hinders the development of young players like Jayden Daniels. And now they're in a tough spot rebuilding with basically nothing to build on 
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. The Commanders have got their work cut out for them next season 
. All those poor trades for big-name vets 
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They're 29th in pass D? That's just embarrassing 
. It feels like they're just trying to make a quick buck instead of building for the future 
, but Dan Quinn's decision to keep Daniels in the game was pretty questionable 
. And now they've got two first-round picks next year? Not exactly a lot to work with 
. they really dropped the ball this year 
. i mean, Jayden Daniels gets hurt and that's it? 
laremy tunsil is a great player, but $43 million for lost draft picks is just no-go 
. and signing 19 players over 30 was like playing poker with your hand tied behind your back 
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what's going on in dc? 
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. rest of the top 7 is pretty solid too 
. guess we'll just have to wait and see what the Commanders do in free agency... maybe they can pull off a miracle 
. I mean, they were so eager to upgrade by signing those expensive vets (Laremy Tunsil, Deebo Samuel, Marshon Lattimore) and now they're paying a premium for not much 
. And relying so heavily on Daniels' rushing skills was just a cop-out 
. Fingers crossed they can actually make some smart moves this time around and build a roster from scratch 
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. The Commanders' front office was trying to keep up with the times, but they ended up paying too much for the wrong pieces 
. It's like when we think we've got it all figured out, but life throws us curveballs 
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. They can use those to find the right players who'll make a difference. It's all about finding the right balance between experience and youth.
. The Commanders need to focus on developing their young talent and fixing their weaknesses 
. And we as fans can learn from this too – we need to stay calm, don't get discouraged by setbacks, and trust that the process will eventually pay off 
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. Anywayz, that front office is a hot mess. They gotta clean house and rebuild ASAP or they'll be stuck in rebuild mode forever 
, and now they gotta find new ways to score without Jayden Daniels running wild 
. They got a tough road ahead of 'em when it comes to rebuilding...
The Commanders' demise serves as a cautionary tale of short-sighted decision-making 
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maybe they should've done more to develop dan quinn's playcalling skills instead of throwing him under the bus 
. I don't think it's his fault tho 
. All those expensive trades? 
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We'll see 
. And now they're gonna have to rebuild from scratch, which is always tough 
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