Why the Commanders are facing doubts after a big offseason

NFL Network analyst Adam Rank recently dropped his annual record predictions for all 32 teams, and he has the Washington Commanders finishing far lower than expected.

His 7-10 projection has Commanders fans scratching their heads, especially with the coming off a high from last season, and with all the moves the franchise made this offseason has brought a sense of excitement and optimism heading into the 2025 season.

Fans are a little confused as to why he has Washington dropping to 7-10, but Rank also predicted they’d finish 5-12 last year, and they did the exact opposite. Perhaps Rank is considering a few factors.

Washington is still technically in the middle of a rebuild. Adam Peters and Dan Quinn are entering their second year together and have made some notable roster moves. Jayden Daniels is also heading into his second year, and some think he could hit a sophomore slump. With a new regime and a young team, perhaps Rank believes they still need more time to grow before they can truly compete.

Regardless of his reasoning, fans believe Rank is selling the Commanders short. Last season, they showed plenty of promise, with Daniels and the franchise setting records. And with key additions like Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil, plus solid draft picks like Josh Conerly Jr. and Trey Amos, the Commanders were determined to fix the areas that plagued them in 2024.

A 7-10 prediction would basically say the Commanders have become stagnant, which seems unlikely given all their recent moves. Ultimately, predictions like Rank’s are subjective. If the Commanders proved anything last season, it’s that they’re down to fight until the very end. So don’t count them out.