The Commanders have not had a legitimate general manager since Charley Casserly.
Casserly was the Assistant General Manager serving under Bobby Beathard in the 1980s as Washington won two Super Bowls. When Beathard departed, Casserly was promoted to General Manager, and two seasons later, Washington won its third Super Bowl with Coach Joe Gibbs.
However, when previous owner Dan Snyder took the reigns in 1999, Casserly shocked us all, suddenly resigning just prior to the 1999 training camp. It should have raised flags for all of us.
Since that time, Snyder and Vinny Cerrato ran the team, making personnel decisions, and they beget Bruce Allen and then Ron Rivera.
These are times for Washington fans to raise their hopes, believing this owner, Josh Harris, is going to hire a new general manager who will rebuild this roster, draft well in the draft, and spend wisely in free agency.
Yes, whoever is chosen will make poor draft choices and sign unproductive free agents. They are human; they will err.
Yet, shouldn’t there be an encouraged fan base, knowing there have been so many years the once proud franchise has been without good leadership at the top of its football operations?
Ron Rivera was a nice guy, a good guy. He is not to be trashed. He is not to be slandered. Yet, he was ineffective, not producing a winning season in his four seasons. The franchise does need a major overhaul on the football side of the building.
Merely thinking this organization may include not only a coach who thinks what is best for “this” season but will also possess a GM who is thinking, “What is best for the next four years?”
Now that is a refreshing thought, to think this franchise will once again have leadership capable of rebuilding this roster.
Hey, the first hire could occur within the week!