5 big moves Commanders, Dan Quinn should make to reach playoffs next season

Dan Quinn has been officially announced as the head coach for the Washington Commanders on Thursday. The former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator will replace Ron Rivera, becoming the first official head coach hire for the new ownership.

The Commanders struggled badly in 2023, but they now have a clean slate to rebuild the franchise. With the amount of cap space they have, there are a lot of moves to be made. Check out some of the possibilities for them to return to the playoffs.

5 big moves for the Washington Commanders in 2024

1 - Draft Drake Maye

The North Carolina quarterback will be available with the second overall pick, with Caleb Williams the probable first choice. It's clear that the Commanders need to improve their protection, but Maye is the key to not only a quick return to the playoffs, but also making the team a true contender again.

2 - Trade Sam Howell

Of course, Maye's arrival will mean that Howell isn't their franchise quarterback, so he instantly becomes a trade asset. A quarterback with a strong arm who had interesting flashes and is still in a rookie contract? Many teams will be interested in him.

3 - Go after Jonah Williams

Obviously, to make the Maye pick work, pass protection needs to become way better - Howell was sacked at historic rates during the 2023 season. Signing Jonah Williams in free agency would be a statement of intent, and even though he's not going to be cheap, the Commanders have the cap space to do so.

4 - Go after Andrus Peat

The same logic applies here. If Williams can play tackle on both sides, Peat would be an instant upgrade at the interior of the offensive line - and the Saints definitely don't have enough cap space to re-sign him. He's going to be cheaper than Williams due to his age, but the improvement would be massive as well.

5 - Invest in Carl Lawson

After trading both Montez Sweat and Chase Young midway through the season, the pass rush became weaker and pressuring opposing quarterbacks became a huge problem. Lawson would be cheap, ideal for Dan Quinn's ideal scheme and could be a great depth pass rusher.