It’s nearing mid-June and the amount of people starting to believe the Washington Commanders are legitimate worst-to-first candidates in the NFC East Division is starting to grow.
The question is whether or not those opinions are based on how much better the Commanders have gotten, or how much people believe in the demise of the Dallas Cowboys and that the Philadelphia Eagles’ tailspin from last year will continue into 2024.
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For Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano, it’s his faith in how much better Washington has gotten this offseason, as he picks it as the most improved team this season.
“Most importantly, they might have a franchise quarterback with Jayden Daniels,”
– Gilberto Manzano, Sports Illustrated
“There’s usually one team that goes from last to first most NFL seasons. I’m not saying the Commanders will win the NFC East, but I’m giving them the best odds after finishing 4–13 last season,” Manzano says. “(Head coach Dan) Quinn could quickly build a formidable defense with the many savvy moves Peters made, including the signings of Dorance Armstrong, Frankie Luvu, Bobby Wagner, Jeremy Chinn and many other defenders. And it helps that Quinn already has head coaching experience from his time with the Atlanta Falcons.
“Most importantly, they might have a franchise quarterback with Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the draft. Expect the Commanders to be a lot better in 2024.”
Manzano was the only one to pick the Commanders as the most improved team in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, and even the New York Giants getting votes.
Interestingly enough, Connor Orr’s choice of the Giants being the most improved also comes with a thought that perhaps quarterback Drew Lock has a Geno Smith-like rise on his new team and doesn’t rely on the skills of Daniel Jones.
While the hype continues to grow around Washington the work continues to be put in, and (potentially) three days of practices next week will give us a much better feel for the team as a whole.
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Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.
