Commanders' lingering roster flaw reopens an old wound fans can’t forget

Adam Peters has taken plenty of calculated risks since being tasked with regenerating the Washington Commanders. The general manager adopted a ruthless mindset, and the early results spoke for themselves during a sensational run to the NFC Championship game in 2024.

Now, the cracks are beginning to show. And one major position flaw has reopened an old wound that fans can't forget.

It didn't take long to realize what Peters thought of the roster that Ron Rivera left behind. The front-office leader gutted the personnel — dismissing everyone from established veterans to recent draft picks — to revitalize how this football operation was run.

Commanders might end up regretting Kamren Curl's departure after all

Some decisions were easier than others. Letting Kamren Curl walk was the most contentious, and this regret is only growing when one considers how Washington's safeties are currently finding life difficult.

As the likes of Quan Martin and Jeremy Reaves struggle to find the consistency needed, Curl is putting together another superb campaign with the Los Angeles Rams. He's already logged 57 tackles, two interceptions, one sack, and two tackles for loss through seven games. The 81.7 passer rating when targeted is a career low, and he looks well on course to get another deal, either from the NFC West club or elsewhere, when 2026 free agency hits.

The Commanders reportedly let Curl walk without offering him a new deal. That was despite Peters telling Nicki Jhabvala from The Athletic how enamored he was by the seventh-round pick's skill set at the time.

I can just say from playing against him … when I was in San Francisco, he was always one of the best players on the defense, a guy we had to watch out for, a guy we had to game plan for. So, a lot of respect for him. I’ve heard great things about him. … We’re going to definitely explore that and see if it fits into our overall plans.Adam Peters

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Curl was a fan favorite, so it wasn't enjoyable to see him go on and thrive elsewhere. The Commanders managed just fine with Jeremy Chinn and Martin as their safety tandem last season. Had Will Harris managed to stay healthy this time around, things might have had a different outlook, too.

That's not the case. The Commanders are teetering on the edge at 3-4 with a brutal stretch of games upcoming before their trip to take on the Miami Dolphins in Spain. Any hopes around a Super Bowl push have faded. Even another playoff berth seems unlikely unless the team digs deep and gets people healthy.

As for Curl? He's playing a significant role on the Rams, who sit at 5-2 and are right in the mix within the ultra-competitive NFC. And if he continues to flourish, this will become a stain on the résumé of Peters.