Many of the headlines this offseason for the Washington Commanders involved big household names. Jayden Daniels, Dan Quinn, Bobby Wagner, and Austin Ekeler. There has been no shortage of high-profile additions.
Despite needing these new acquisitions across the board to compete, the NFL is also about depth and character.
It's a good thing that the Commanders did their due diligence and focused on the trenches of the roster and coaching staff. Fans should take it as a sign of maturity and promise that the team has moved on from the virulent roster-building of Ron Rivera and Dan Synder. The new regime isn't looking for that star player to come in and make the difference alone.
If Commanders turn out to be legitimate, these three underrated offseason moves in 2024 played their roles well.
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 1996, Larry Izzo went on to become a three-time Pro Bowler for the New England Patriots. He was also a part of not only three of their Super Bowl teams, but he won another one as a coach with the New York Giants. The man knows how to win and what a winning organization looks like.
The Washington Commanders' new special teams coordinator came from the Seattle Seahawks. He transformed their fortunes. They quickly emerged as one of the better special teams units in the entire league. At that same time, his new employers have been toward the lower tier in the same discipline.
With new coordinators on both offense and defense, this is not a signing to be taken likely. If anything, it is indicative of the franchise-wide change transpiring under Adam Peters throughout his first offseason as general manager.
If the Commanders are going to be successful in 2024, their special teams unit has to improve. This starts and ends with Izzo. Fans can relax safe in the knowledge that he has been doing this for over a decade extremely effectively.
