The Washington Commanders have been one of the surprise teams in the NFL. They’re currently 3-1 and in first place in the NFC East heading into Week 5. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has been as good as anyone could’ve imagined, a very promising sign for a Commanders team looking for a franchise quarterback.
With how well Daniels has played, the Commanders could be aggressive now and surround him with more talent. They already did so in the offseason by signing veterans, but why stop there?
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes having Amari Cooper of the Cleveland Browns would give Daniels another veteran to throw the football to. He listed the top NFL trade candidates in Week 5 and their potential suitors, linking Cooper and the Commanders.
“Secondly, things simply aren’t clicking between Cooper and Deshaun Watson this season. The receiver has topped 40 receiving yards only once, and he’s already been credited with six drops through four games,” Knox wrote on October 2. “He had another big one during Sunday’s loss in Las Vegas that turned into a Raiders interception. The Washington Commanders may also want to inquire about Cooper after they host the Browns this weekend.
“Washington is building an exciting offense around rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. Part of the plan has involved surrounding the quarterback with seasoned veterans like Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz. Adding Cooper would follow that plan and give Daniels another top-tier target opposite Terry McLaurin.”
Commanders Also Linked to Davante Adams
Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders requested a trade on October 1, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
If the Washington Commanders traded for Adams, they’d owe him $13.2 million for the remainder of the year, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN. The Commanders would also owe him $36.3 million in 2025.
Barnwell listed landing spots for the Raiders star wide receiver, writing that the Commanders make the “most sense” for Adams.
“General manager Adam Peters has shown a desire to add veteran talent to the roster, having quietly spent meaningful amounts of money on both sides of the ball this offseason to add competent veterans Dorance Armstrong, Bobby Wagner and Tyler Biadasz…
“And for an ownership group that wants to do whatever it can to bring back lapsed fans after the disastrous decades of the Daniel Snyder era in Washington, this would be the sort of move that would draw eyeballs and attention back to the DMV,” Barnwell wrote on October 1. “The Commanders’ playoff odds are already all the way up to 62.8%. They have to battle only the league’s seventh-easiest schedule the rest of the way. Daniels looks as if he’s about to become the face of the franchise.”
Should the Commanders Trade for Cooper or Adams?
If the Washington Commanders were to trade for the Cleveland Browns star, they’d have to pay him in the offseason.
While Adams is owed $36.3 in 2025, the Commanders could get creative and reconstruct his contract. He’s also under contract in 2026 for $35.6 million, according to Spotrac.
Having Adams on the team would give them an elite playmaker to pair with Daniels for at least the next two-plus years, which should only help the youngster continue to flourish.
Cooper, on the other hand, would have to be re-signed or replaced in less than a year.
