I think it's both. We definitely overhype guys, but we also kill guys. Solid guys are talked about like bums all the time. Good players are talked about as mid or JAGs.
I think my favorite old school examples are Rock Cartwright and James Thrash. Rock was sometimes talked about as a monster and a great player. Thrash was viewed as the worst player in the league. Truth was, Thrash was a blue collar guy who was okay. They just asked him to do to much, but really the thrashing Thrash took from the fan base was over the top. They guy gave all he could and was all effort. He was okay and not a waste of a roster spot. Likewise, Rock was overhyped because he was literally the little guy we root for.
I remember someone who's active on this thread constantly ripping Ryan Grant because Jay Gruden kept praising him, saying he was just a JAG. And he was. But he also did two things really well: he knew his assignments and he blocked. Those aren't glamorous traits, but coaches value them, so I understood why Jay kept talking him up.
I don't remember people having the same disdain for James Thrash. I actually called into Redskins Lunch during a Q&A with Joe Gibbs and complimented Thrash. Gibbs couldn't have been more enthusiastic. He immediately talked about what a great special teamer he was, how well he blocked, and all the little things he did that helped the team.
Luke McCaffrey feels like the modern-day Thrash. Probably not someone who's going to light up the stat sheet, but a solid, dependable player who does the dirty work.
The problem is this franchise has spent decades celebrating role players because it hasn't had enough stars. There have been exceptions, of course, but Washington has consistently been near the bottom of the league in All-Pro selections. Year after year they're among the least represented teams in Top 100 rankings, whether they're voted on by players, coaches, executives, or built on analytics. Judging by ESPN's current coach/GM roster rankings, it wouldn't surprise me if Washington finishes near or at the bottom again.
That's why I think the conversation around Peters gets a little distorted. I think some fans overrate the job he's done, but I also don't think he's a bad GM. I remember you saying you thought the league viewed him more favorably than fans here do. Honestly, it feels closer to the opposite. If you look at how national analysts, scouts, and evaluators talk about this roster, they don't seem to think it's average—they think it's closer to bad than good. And I've read direct critiques of the job Peters has done in an article from the Athletic where they quoted other GMs about the FA signings and also the previous year an agent took a dig at lack of ambition for that FO with Jayden on a rookie contract.
Peters, like Quinn, has a great reputation as a smart, likable guy. Rivera had that reputation too. I thought McCloughan vouching for Peters as a dude but not as an evaluator seemed sort of fitting with some of the vibe I get. I do think Peters is learning and improving, and I absolutely love Josh Harris as an owner. I also think Jayden is good enough to elevate a roster that still has obvious flaws. That's why I think they'll probably make the playoffs despite the roster not being where it needs to be.
My biggest hope with Peters is that he's self-aware and learns from his mistakes. And my gut is he does. Howie Roseman wasn't universally praised early in his career either. I'm hoping some of Peters' draft picks and signings develop into legitimate stars because that's ultimately what changes franchises. So far, though, he hasn't broken Washington's long-running pattern of struggling to identify elite talent.
That said, he
did break the quarterback curse. In my mind, that's the single hardest thing for a GM to do, and for that reason alone he's earned some patience from me.
But if this roster really is as poor as many national evaluators believe it is, then I think it's fair for Peters to start feeling some pressure next year. My guess, though, is that Jayden once again elevates a mediocre supporting cast, the defense takes a meaningful step forward, and they find their way into the playoffs. Then the real question becomes whether Peters finally gives his franchise quarterback the caliber of roster that lets him stop having to carry so much of the load. And while I don't think he did -- but still could if he signed Diggs, I am betting all hands are on deck in 2027 to get that done.
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