I know what you’re thinking. The Washington Commanders turnaround can be boiled down to two things: Daniel Snyder selling the team, and Jayden Daniels performing as one of the best rookie quarterbacks in NFL history. Those two things aren’t replicable for the Carolina Panthers.
David Tepper isn’t going anywhere, and Carolina isn’t replacing Bryce Young with a rookie quarterback. However, there are some the Panthers can glean from Washington’s jump from the league’s basement to it’s penthouse. The Commanders went 4-13 in 2023, and just over a year later are a win away from making the Super Bowl. How’d they do it? And how can Carolina replicate their success?
Washington’s three leading tacklers (Bobby Wagner, Jeremy Chinn, and Frankie Luvu) were all free agent signings. Washington’s second-leading receiver, Zach Ertz (66 catches, 654 yards, and six touchdowns) was a free agent signing.
First-year head coach Dan Quinn aggressively pursued established veterans that fit his scheme, and a host of them paid dividends.
Beyond those three, Washington plugged major holes in their starting lineup with key contributors in free agency. A whopping 10 Commanders slated to start in Sunday’s NFC Championship game were free agent signings.
General Manager Adam Peters rolled the dice on a host of veterans and he nailed almost every signing. The brunt of Washington’s contributors were signed in free agency, but the stars came from the NFL Draft, a formula that the Carolina Panthers must follow if they want to replicate the Commanders’ success.
This has been a problem for the Carolina Panthers as of late.
Washington, on the other hand, made a trio of selections in the 2024 NFL Draft that impressed immediately. Jayden Daniels is the obvious head of the snake, but both Mike Sainristill (who intercepted a pass in last weeks win over the Lions), and Brandon Coleman, Washington’s starting left tackle, have been above average starters in their maiden NFL campaigns.
Reviewing the Carolina Panthers’ recent draft history is akin to reading a Stephen King horror novel. It’s bleak.
Outside of a handful of first-round hits, Scott Fitterer swung and missed like Bartolo Colon over and over and over again in the draft’s later rounds. NFL stars are drafted in the first round, but championship rosters are built in the later rounds of the draft.
Washington and other franchises have built sustainable foundations on the second and third days of the NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers have not. Dan Morgan’s initial draft class is a nice start in changing the Panthers’ draft narrative, but he’ll need to replicate that success in 2025. Specifically on defense.
In a league that prides itself on parity, the 2024 Washington Commanders ticked like a metronome and beat exactly who they were supposed to.
The only non-playoff team Washington lost to was the Dallas Cowboys in a disorienting game that featured a pair of Cowboys’ kick off return touchdowns in the fourth quarter that the Commanders couldn’t overcome. Outside of that, Washington padded their 12-5 record with wins over the Giants (twice), Bengals, Cardinals, Browns, Panthers, Bears, Titans, Saints, and Falcons.
Margins in the NFL are thin. They widen when you beat the bad teams.
Dan Quinn is a master motivator, and his Commanders squad took nothing for granted. On the other hand, the Carolina Panthers epitomized the term “Jekyll and Hyde,” and it was impossible to know which team was going to show up on a week-to-week basis. One week Carolina would take the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs to the wire, and the next they would get pasted by Cooper Rush and the Cowboys. It was infurating.
A magical rookie quarterback isn’t coming to save the Carolina Panthers, but Washington’s blueprint is replicable with Bryce Young and Dave Canales at the helm. The onus is on Dan Morgan and Carolina’s scouting department to plug the roster’s holes like Adam Peters and company did in Washington, and if they do, we may be talking about the Panthers playing playoff football games this time next year.
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What can the Carolina Panthers learn from the Washington Commanders’ stunning turnaround
The Washington Commanders have experienced a remarkable turnaround this season, going from a struggling team to a playoff contender. As the Carolina Panthers look to improve their own performance, there are several key lessons they can learn from the Commanders’ success.
1. Consistent leadership: The Commanders have seen success under the leadership of head coach Ron Rivera, who has instilled a culture of discipline and accountability within the team. The Panthers can benefit from finding a coach who can provide stability and direction.
2. Strong defense: Washington’s defense has been a major factor in their success this season, ranking among the top in the league. The Panthers can focus on building a strong defense to help shut down opponents and give their offense a chance to succeed.
3. Offensive balance: The Commanders have found success on offense by utilizing a balanced attack, mixing in both the running and passing game effectively. The Panthers can look to diversify their offensive strategy to keep defenses guessing.
4. Resilience: Washington has shown resilience in the face of adversity, bouncing back from tough losses and injuries to continue competing at a high level. The Panthers can learn to stay focused and determined, even when facing challenges.
By studying the Washington Commanders’ turnaround and implementing these key lessons, the Carolina Panthers can improve their performance and work towards becoming a successful team in the NFL.
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