There has been much debate on if the Washington Commanders did enough this offseason to improve a roster that just missed the NFC playoffs in 2022. While much of the talk revolves around quarterback Sam Howell, it was Washington’s offensive line that needed the most work in 2023.
The Commanders added Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates in free agency to start. Additionally, Washington re-signed star defensive tackle Daron Payne to a four-year extension. In the draft, the Commanders added help in the secondary and more reinforcements on the offensive line, running back and edge rusher.
Most of those moves will help the Commanders. However, the biggest move Washington made will impact the franchise for years to come. And that move, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN, is why the Commanders improved more than any other NFL team this offseason: The change in ownership from Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris.
Let’s allow Barnwell to explain his reasoning:
What went right: Team owner Daniel Snyder entered an agreement to sell the franchise. What, you thought this was going to be about signing offensive lineman Andrew Wylie? You can make a reasonable case that no team made a more significant move to aid their chances of becoming a Super Bowl contender this offseason than the Commanders did by beginning to extricate themselves from their disastrous ownership group.
The difference is staggering. Washington went from being one of the league’s best teams to one of its worst. The pre-Snyder Commanders had more actual MVPs than the Snyder-era Commanders had of players who received a single MVP vote. They won more Super Bowls before Snyder than they did playoff games after he took over the team. One of those two victories came in 1999, the year he took over the franchise. The one playoff game the Commanders won after Snyder started to reinvent the franchise to his liking came in 2005, in a game in which quarterback Mark Brunell threw for 41 yards. Even in the most successful moment in the Snyder era, things weren’t pretty.
All of this is about what happened on the field. It doesn’t even begin to consider how the organization’s reputation was dragged through the mud by scandals involving inappropriate behavior toward the team’s cheerleaders. How the team’s stadium spewed fluids onto fans and its playing surface led to injuries. How the organization was forced to settle a lawsuit for allegedly defrauding its own season-ticket holders. How Snyder sneered at the idea of changing the team’s nickname until there was a real threat from sponsors. How the team used its PR department to attack the city it is supposed to represent.
The legacy of the Snyder era is just how great it is to be an NFL team owner. Snyder took over one of the most popular franchises and enjoyed virtually no success during his time in charge, and he will make billions of dollars for agreeing to move on.
Barnwell explained everything we’ve said since Snyder put the team up for sale in November. The Commanders have a chance to be a real NFL franchise once again with Snyder leaving. We’ve heard some 76ers fans complain about Harris. Let those fans spend 24 years under Snyder’s reign, and they’d appreciate Harris much more. By all accounts, Harris is an outstanding businessman, philanthropist and team owner, with many of the league’s top voices saying he’ll be a terrific owner.
There was no bigger acquisition Washington could’ve made this offseason than a new owner. Therefore, it’s a big win for the Commanders, and Barnwell is correct.
