Washington Commanders Overhaul Front Office with Key Hires

The Washington Commanders have hired Brandon Sosna, a former Detroit Lions executive, as their new Senior Vice President of Football Operations. According to sources familiar with the matter, the team is also set to hire David Blackburn, previously the Ravens’ Director of College Scouting, as their Director of Player Personnel as GM Adam Peters continues his overhaul of the front office.

Sosna joins the Commanders after serving as the Senior Director of Football Administration with the Lions for the past two seasons. His new role with Washington will be pivotal in steering the franchise, which has undergone significant changes since the Josh Harris-led group acquired the team last summer. Sosna will report directly to Peters and take on the role of lead contract negotiator. Additionally, he will oversee key departments within football operations, including analytics, health and performance, and football administration, while acting as a bridge to the team’s business operations.

Sosna brings a wealth of experience from his time with both the Lions and the University of Southern California. At USC, he spent three years as the executive senior associate athletic director/chief of staff, managing the daily operations of the athletics program while overseeing its external communications revenue-generating teams and serving as the department’s lead contract negotiator.

“We are excited to welcome Brandon Sosna to the Washington Commanders,” Peters said in a press release. “Brandon was a key addition to Brad Holmes’ staff in 2022 and played a vital role in assisting the Lions in their roster construction these past two seasons. His expertise on the salary cap and in contract negotiations along with his well-rounded skillset developed through his unique career across the NFL and collegiate athletics makes him a great fit for the front office we are building here in Washington. I’d like to thank the Detroit Lions organization and specifically, President Rod Wood who was first-class in how he handled the process of getting Brandon to Washington. Brandon is a home run hire, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the DMV”

Adam Peters’ Overhaul of the Burgundy and Gold

Since joining the front office in January, Peters has retained much of the existing football operations staff that was previously employed but has also made strategic additions during his overhaul. He appointed Lance Newmark, former Lions Director of Player Personnel, as his Assistant GM and brought on veteran NFL executive Dave Gardi as Senior Vice President of Football Initiatives. Martin Mayhew, one of Peters’ predecessors, received a new title/role as Senior Personnel Executive/Adviser to the GM.

Since the draft ended and the overhaul began, the team has parted ways with several individuals, starting with Eric Stokes, the Senior Director of Player Personnel, for the last three seasons. National scout David Whittington has joined the Carolina Panthers as Assistant Director of College Scouting, college scout Harrison Ritcher recently moved on to the Atlanta Falcons, and Chris Polian, the Director of Pro Personnel, is reportedly joining the Cleveland Browns.