The future is now for the Washington Commanders who currently sit in seventh place in the NFC Playoffs race with four games left to play.
No matter what happens in Week 14 while the Commanders enjoy their late bye week they'll be in that seventh spot and actually got a little bit of help moving forward when the Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
That result puts Washington just one game out of the sixth seed, making the near future even brighter for the team that just last year earned the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. As Bleacher Report sees it, however, there's a way this offseason for the franchise to make its long-term future look even brighter by signing a key free agent to come be a running mate for star receiver Terry McLaurin.
"Wide receiver is a current weakness in Washington and finding a complement to Terry McLaurin should be a big priority for the club this spring," says Bleacher Report. "And the front office is currently projected to have nearly $100 million of cap space, per Over The Cap, to go after a big fish.
"(Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris) Godwin will be one of the most recognizable names on the open market and has plenty of experience being a productive No. 2 after playing alongside Mike Evans in Tampa Bay his entire career. The 28-year-old who turns 29 in February has racked up 7,266 yards and 39 touchdowns in his career."
Godwin's current contract expires at the end of this season and an ankle injury suffered in Week 7 prematurely ended his 2024 season.
Assuming Godwin can come back from that injury and return to form for next season he'd be a great option for the Commanders to pursue when it comes to looking for a partner to help take attention away from McLaurin and make opposing defenses play a little more honest against quarterback Jayden Daniels and company.
In fact, it'd be the type of move the Houston Texans were applauded for making when they traded for receiver Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills in an effort to help their quarterback C.J. Stroud, only this move wouldn't cost Washington draft capital and it may not take as big a contract as it would have had Godwin not gotten injured this season.
