The Washington Commanders have an agreement in place to hire San Francisco 49ers executive Adam Peters as their new general manager, according to a person with knowledge of the move. Peters will be in charge of the organization’s football operations moving forward.
Quick Read
- Agreement in Place: The Washington Commanders have agreed to hire San Francisco 49ers executive Adam Peters as their new general manager.
- Anonymity of Source: The source spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as the team hadn’t officially announced the hire yet.
- Peters’ Background: Peters, 49, has experience with the Niners as VP of player personnel and assistant GM. He’s also a Super Bowl champion from his time with the Denver Broncos and has worked with the New England Patriots.
- Top Candidate: Peters was a sought-after candidate, drawing interest from other teams like the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders.
- Selection Process: Peters was one of two finalists for the position, with Chicago AGM Ian Cunningham being the other.
- Owner’s Search Commitment: Owner Josh Harris committed to a thorough but rapid search process following the firing of Ron Rivera.
- Next Steps: Peters and his team will now focus on finding Washington’s next coach.
- Influence of Bob Myers: Peters’ time in San Francisco coincided with Bob Myers’ tenure with the Golden State Warriors. Myers assisted in the Commanders’ search process.
- Roster Remake: Peters faces the task of remaking a roster with limited cornerstone players after years of mediocre drafting.
- Salary Cap and Draft Picks: The Commanders have about $87 million in projected salary cap space and hold the No. 2 pick in the draft.
- Quarterback Situation: Peters will address the team’s quarterback situation, which has seen a lack of long-term stability.
- Potential Quarterback Options: USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, and possibly Russell Wilson or other free agents or trade options could be considered.
The Associated Press has the story:
Washington Commanders hiring 49ers executive Adam Peters as general manager
Newslooks- (AP)
The Washington Commanders have an agreement in place to hire San Francisco 49ers executive Adam Peters as their new general manager, according to a person with knowledge of the move.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the team had not yet announced the hire. Peters will be in charge of the organization’s football operations moving forward.
Peters, 49, was considered one of the top candidates available and also drew interest from the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders for their vacancies. He spent seven years with the Niners, first as VP of player personnel and then the past three as assistant GM working under John Lynch.
A Super Bowl champion with Denver from his eight years with the Broncos that followed a stint in New England, Peters was one of two finalists for the job along with Chicago AGM Ian Cunningham. Owner Josh Harris and his search committee followed through on his pledge for a “thorough but rapid” process to pinpoint and hire the next front office lead after firing Ron Rivera.
Peters and that group will now work through a long list of candidates to find Washington’s next coach.
A Northern California native, Peters’ time in San Francisco overlapped with longtime NBA executive Bob Myers building the Golden State Warriors into four-time champions. Harris hired Myers to aid in the searches and expects to keep the two-time basketball executive of the year around beyond the next couple of months.
Beyond hiring a coach, Peters will be tasked with remaking a roster that has few cornerstone players after four years of mediocre drafting with Rivera in charge. Top receiver Terry McLaurin and defensive tackle Daron Payne, holdovers from the previous regime, are among them.
Peters has an attractive opportunity in front of him with nearly $87 million in projected salary cap space and the No. 2 pick in the draft, followed by two selections in the top 10 of the second round.
After 12 different quarterbacks started for Washington since the start of the 2018 season, Peters is the latest person who will try to find a long-term solution at football’s most important position for an organization that has had a revolving door there for decades.
Sam Howell figures to be back after starting all 17 games this season when the Commanders lost eight in a row to finish 4-13, but the second pick is a chance to select one of the top college prospects: USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Russell Wilson could also be among the potential free agent options, or Peters and his front office could look to the trade market.
It’s unclear if he’ll be available depending on the Dallas Cowboys’ path forward with Dak Prescott, but Peters was part of the 49ers brain trust when they traded up to pick Trey Lance third in 2021.
