Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels pre game against the New York Giants. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Commanders among most improved teams ahead of season

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Washington Commanders were the NFL's most improved team last season, going from a four-win club all the way to the NFC Championship.

The Commanders are still hungry, hoping to take that next step into the 2025 season.

NFL.com columnist Nick Shook believes the Commanders will be one of the most improved teams going into the new year.

Commanders could improve once again

"Washington's stunning 2024 turnaround breathed new life into a franchise that had trudged through plenty of losing in the 21st century," Shook wrote.

"The Commanders entered the offseason with a clear goal: capitalize on their newfound success, and do so fearlessly. Trades for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil gave them two proven veterans to bolster an offense headlined by 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. Now, there are ways things could go awry.

"Samuel struggled to stay healthy enough to consistently produce in San Francisco in recent years, and Tunsil allowed 52 pressures in 2024, the most for him in a season since 2018, according to Next Gen Stats (with a pressure-allowed rate of 8.3%, fourth-highest for him in that span). But if everything works out, the Commanders should be better than they were a year ago, when they sprinted all the way to the NFC Championship Game."

The Commanders were the team nobody expected to make noise in the playoffs last year, but they ended up doing just that.

Despite being the surprise of the season, the Commanders aren't satisfied with a "most improved" award.

Now, they have made the changes necessary to take that next step in hopes of winning the Super Bowl.