Have the Washington Commanders already found their next head of football operations/general manager?
Shortly after firing head coach Ron Rivera on Monday, owner Josh Harris announced he had formed an advisory committee to help him find the next head of football operations and head coach for the Commanders.
On Monday, the Commanders requested permission to speak with five candidates for their head of football operations/GM position: 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters, Browns assistant GM Glenn Cook, Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Chiefs assistant Mike Borgonzi and Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby.
Harris called Washington’s search a “thorough but rapid process.” He wasn’t kidding. The Commanders have scheduled meetings for all five candidates on Tuesday and Wednesday. Borgonzi, Cook and Peters interviewed on Tuesday, with Cunningham and Halaby scheduled to speak to Harris and his group on Wednesday.
By all accounts, Peters is Washington’s top target, and for good reason. In 21 NFL seasons, Peters has worked for New England, Denver and San Francisco. He has been with the 49ers since 2017 and played an integral role in developing what is arguably the NFL’s best roster. In recent seasons, other teams have requested permission to speak with Peters, but he wasn’t interested in leaving San Francisco.
Has that changed?
Matt Barrows covers the 49ers for The Athletic and believes the time may be right for Peters to make the move, with the Commanders being his preferred destination.
“I think the fact that he’s meeting with the Washington group right now or on his way to do that suggests that he’s ready this year to make the move,” Barrows said Tuesday on “Grant and Danny” on 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C. “A lot of people I’ve talked to think that this is gonna happen, that he’s going to be the guy that the Commanders hire to be their next GM.”
One of the members of Washington’s advisory committee, Bob Myers — a former Golden State Warriors GM — has close ties with Peters. Peters also worked with current Washington GM Martin Mayhew for four seasons until Mayhew came to Washington in 2021.
Barrows discussed how John Lynch’s promotion this season from GM to president of football operations wasn’t done in order to promote Peters and that if Peters wanted to run his own team, he would need to go elsewhere.
Could the Commanders have their new head of football operations/GM by the end of this week?