The Washington Commanders are looking to reinvent the swagger that they had last season, making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game. So far in free agency, they've made moves to improve their team, and the next step is to draft the right players who fit the team.
The Commanders have five picks in this year's draft, starting with the 29th pick in the first round. Though a team with success like the Commanders would usually be aggressive, ESPN's Bill Barnwell thinks that the best idea for them is to trade down.
“General manager Adam Peters' 2024 draft class was much more promising, but one draft can only do so much,” Barnwell wrote. “Furthermore, after trades for offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and wideout Deebo Samuel, the Commanders don't have picks in Rounds 3 and 4 of this draft.
“They're also down second- and fourth-round picks in 2026 as part of the deal for Tunsil. Per Stuart's chart, they rank 31st in draft capital in 2025 and last in 2026. It's understandable why Peters wanted to add veterans to the roster, but the 2024 Texans showed how a team built around veterans and free agent additions can stagnate, even with a young star at quarterback.
“Picks at the bottom of Round 1 often draw trade calls from teams selecting at the top of Round 2 that want to move up. Peters would be wise to seriously consider those offers.”
The Commanders have made a lot of trades to add veterans to their team, and now it may be time for them to recoup some of that capital to bring some young depth.
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Commanders should focus on adding draft capital
The Commanders have done everything the right way as far as adding talent around Jayden Daniels while he's still on his rookie deal. This helps them bring in large contracts while not having to worry about signing Daniels to an extension anytime soon.
At the same time, the draft will be important, and having as many picks as you can get can be a luxury instead of always signing free agents.
It will be interesting to see what the Commanders decide to do in the draft and whether they will prioritize either offense or defense. They have talent on both sides of the ball, but there are a few holes that they can consider filling with their picks. They had a solid draft last year, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they did the same next season.
