Commanders to hire Adam Peters as GM

Adam Peters with the 49ers in 2017.

Not long after narrowing their search for a new general manager to two finalists, the Commanders have found the new leader of their front office. Washington is hiring Adam Peters as general manager, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes Peters will likely take on the title of president of football operations. Further reports from Dianna Russini of The Athletic and the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala name Peters the GM as well.

Regardless of the title he assumes, Peters will be a major member of the Commanders’ new organizational structure. After a strong tenure with the 49ers, he will take on an increased workload in the nation’s capital. Commanders owner Josh Harris assembled a search committee to find the team’s front office hires (both in terms of a head of football ops and, in all likelihood, a replacement for GM Martin Mayhew). The first step in that process has now taken place.

Peters was quickly named the favorite for a high-ranking Commanders position. He was among the first batch of candidates to receive an interview, and Washington moved quickly in narrowing down a list of finalists. Peters was joined by Bears AGM Ian Cunningham in receiving a second interview earlier this week, and the decision between the two has now been made rather rapidly. As Rapoport notes, one of Peters’ first tasks will be determining the future of Mayhew, who has been named as a hot seat occupant.

Head coach Ron Rivera was, as expected, dismissed on Black Monday. Mayhew likewise faces an uncertain future after three years of serving as Washington’s GM. Harris made it clear the head of football operations posting would be filled before a new head coach would be brought in, and Peters will now be in place to assist in that effort.

The latter was a top GM candidate last year, but he rebuffed interest from the Cardinals and Titans. That allowed him to remain in San Francisco for one more year after joining the franchise in 2017. Peters was promoted to assistant general manager in 2021 as a confirmation of his status as a critical John Lynch lieutenant. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio confirms the 49ers attempted to retain Peters. Instead, he will move on.

Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo notes Lions OC Ben Johnson is now a key name to watch concerning the Commanders’ upcoming coaching hire. Further reports have also tabbed Johnson as a top candidate for Washington to join Peters in a new power structure. The 37-year-old is on the radar of numerous teams in need of a head coach, though, so the Commanders will have competition if they make an aggressive pursuit of him.

Peters — who also received GM interview requests from the Chargers and Raiders — will have several key decisions to make soon, but the Commanders are positioned with plenty of flexibility from a roster-building perspective. Washington is currently slated to lead the league in cap space, and the team owns the second overall pick in April’s draft. Peters will be a key voice in the Commanders’ re-worked front office when the new league year kicks off.

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