The Washington Commanders own the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and have a few different paths in front of them. The one most pundits expect Washington to take is straightforward — selecting one of the top quarterback prospects after the Chicago Bears take Caleb Williams first overall.
It’s a simple equation for the Commanders. They need a long-term answer at quarterback after trading away Sam Howell, who started all 17 games last season. This draft is widely believed to contain at least three prospects with star potential in Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels — potentially a fourth, if you buy into the J.J. McCarthy hype. The Commanders are in a great spot to find a true franchise signal caller, something they’ve been lacking for decades. That would start their first season under new ownership with a fresh face of the organization to build around.
But nothing is set in stone when it comes to the NFL Draft until Roger Goodell is at the podium. The Commanders must be diligent and consider all their options. According to ESPN, they are doing just that. On Saturday, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter Washington is fielding calls about a potential trade involving the second overall selection:
“They have been unpredictable, and I’ve talked to a team source who said they are still open with a thorough process. They have not made a firm determination on which direction they’re going. Everybody around the league expects Chicago at 1 to take Caleb Williams of course. So, Washington’s going to go into next week with a contingent going to the Pro Days of both Jayden Daniels at LSU, Drake Maye at UNC. They’re going to shake that out, see what they like. Kliff Kingsbury the OC will be there with head coach Dan Quinn, and they’ll have the cavalry. So, they’re going to after that sort through the entire process. I know they are getting calls, inquiries about the No. 2 pick from teams potentially moving up but largely despite all of those theatrics the feeling around the league is they’ll take one of those two guys that you rarely get a chance to take at No. 2 a quarterback like they have now.”
As pointed out by Fowler, it is a rare thing to have a shot at drafting a potential franchise quarterback. Yet even acknowledging that, the Commanders have to consider trading back because their roster is weak across the board. They need fresh blood at quarterback more than anything, but they also need to rebuild their secondary and offensive line as quickly as possible. Trading the second overall pick would bring back a haul of other draft picks to restock the talent on the roster.
On the other hand, Washington has been adrift for many seasons without a direction. Selecting a quarterback would give the fan base a much-needed injection of optimism and enthusiasm. The franchise may never get another shot at elite talents like Daniels or Maye. Trading the pick is a gigantic risk and could haunt the franchise for years to come. It may not bring the big return they want, either, considering the New England Patriots (No. 3 overall) and Arizona Cardinals (No. 4 overall) have both been involved in trade-down rumors.
Much to consider for the Commanders and the new faces in charge. It does sound like they are considering every option available to them, and fans can’t ask for much more than that at this stage.
Liam McKeone is staff writer at The Big Lead.
2024-03-23 20:20:19
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