Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It's 20/20, and there is no way to see what decisions you make in life or what people make in football will reap the required rewards.
If it goes right, you look like a genius. If it goes wrong, that's when the criticism arrives. And with the Washington Commanders' fortunes taking a tumble in Year 2 under the current regime, fans are beginning to question just which direction this ambitious project is going.
Some choices made by general manager Adam Peters are coming under closer scrutiny than others. Two of those came to the fore as the Los Angeles Rams secured a dominant victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.
Former Commanders stars are thriving elsewhere as Adam Peters comes under scrutiny
Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is finally playing like a first-round pick after being cast aside by the Commanders barely two seasons into his time with the club. Cris Collinsworth highlighted another ex-Washington star currently thriving in Los Angeles, and this decision from Peters was far more contentious at the time.
Collinsworth, who was working his 500th NFL game as an analyst for NBC Sports, proudly proclaimed Kamren Curl as one of the best tackling safeties in the league right now. That is high praise indeed, and it only filled some sections of Washington's fan base with more dismay about letting the defensive back slip through the net.
Cris Collinsworth just said Kam Curl might be the best tackling safety in the league.
(I'm not mentioning these comments to ding the Commanders. Just noting we live in a wacky world and CC is going hard to the paint with the praise.) https://t.co/rkGRBHnyWN
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) November 24, 2025
These are wild times. Forbes is looking like a Pro Bowler with five pass breakups and an interception in Week 12. Curl is becoming elite in a scheme that is maximizing his strengths. But unlike the cornerback's sorry time in Washington, there were signs that the Arkansas product was capable of reaching these heights earlier in his career.
Curl was productive in Washington. He emerged from a seventh-round afterthought into a consistent starting option. Most fans thought the new regime would keep him around. But the reported contract demands, coupled with a change in direction, saw Peters not offer him any deal for an extended stay.
The Rams thought something could be salvaged. They gave Curl a two-year deal, which paid off handsomely. The player bet on himself, and he's going to get a much more lucrative commitment in Los Angeles or elsewhere when the 2026 offseason arrives.
Peters signed Jeremy Chinn to fill the void, but he didn't want to extend him either. Will Harris was next up, but he got hurt. And the alarming regression of Quan Martin makes the safety spot in need of a better plan moving forward.
Win some, lose some.