Ron Rivera did a lot of damage to the Washington Commanders’ roster in his four years from 2020-23. Although Rivera did nothing to earn the honor, he had complete personnel control when Daniel Snyder hired him. Rivera had a solid track record as a head coach, but Snyder was so eager to find a quality head coach that he gave personnel control to Rivera, which effectively meant he was also the general manager.
The results are predictable. However, no one realized Rivera’s personnel department would be so bad. None of the Wizards’ first-round picks from 2020-23 are on the roster until the end of general manager Adam Peters’ first year on the job in 2024. Chase Young and Jahan Dotson were traded, while Jamin Davis and Emmanuel Forbes were released. Forbes and Dotson’s tenures in Washington were particularly short.
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However, there are success stories. The most notable of these are Kamren Curl, Sam Cosmi and John Bates. Cosmi and Betts are key starters on second contracts with the Commanders, while Cole is leaving Washington after the 2023 season. Cole signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams. That number feels low for the former seventh-round pick, and many are wondering why Peters and new head coach Dan Quinn didn’t retain him.
After two years with the Rams, where Cole started 33 games and provided solid performance in the team’s secondary, he became a free agent again. Los Angeles didn’t want to lose Curl, so it paid the price, agreeing to a three-year deal worth up to $39 million, with $24 million guaranteed.
It makes you wonder: Does Peters secretly regret not matching Los Angeles’ 2024 offer? The Commanders opted to sign Jeremy Chinn to replace Cole. This looks good in 2024 as Chinn is playing well. However, the GM let him go after a year and he signed with the Raiders. Washington then turned to Will Harris.
Nothing against Chinn or Harris, but why not keep Curl? Cole isn’t a star, but he is a proven NFL starter. If you look at the 2025 Commanders’ defense, you’ll see that they are clearly lacking at the safety position.
This article originally appeared on Commander’s Wire: Washington Commander: Cam Cole reaches new deal with Rams
