An optimist's guide to the 2024 Washington Commanders

Following another last-place finish in the NFC East, Commanders fans should get a well-deserved break this upcoming season. 

Here’s why the team could be much better in 2024.

New coach

In 2015, Dan Quinn took over a 6-10 Atlanta Falcons team and guided it to an 8-8 record. One year later, he had them representing the NFC in Super Bowl LI, an overtime loss to Tom Brady’s Patriots.

His Falcon teams managed just one winning season after that, but Quinn bounced back as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021. Last year, Quinn’s defense allowed the fifth-fewest yards (299.7) and points (18.5) per game.

This year, he’s bringing defensive end Dorance Armstrong with him from Dallas. Armstrong thrived in Quinn’s system with 21 sacks over the past three years after posting 2.5 sacks in his previous three seasons.

Simply put, Quinn knows defense, and he’ll need to after the Commanders allowed a league-worst 30.5 points per game last year. 

New quarterback

With 3,946 yards, Sam Howell finished last season as the NFL’s 12th-leading passer, but new quarterback Jayden Daniels has a better resume than the former fifth-round pick.

The Commanders took last season's Heisman Trophy winner with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. His 3,812 yards were fifth-most in the FBS last season, but his 40 touchdowns were second only to Oregon’s Bo Nix, who had 45.