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Thirty-two seasons of failure have put Washington in this position. That’s how long it’s been since the franchise reached the NFC Championship game. It’s been 18 years since they’ve even won a playoff game and they are also currently riding a three-year streak of missing the postseason.
Ownership has changed hands and the Dan Quinn era is underway. Washington brought in the former Dallas defensive coordinator for this second try as a headman in the NFL.
He’ll have his work cut out for him as Washington has one of the more poorly constructed rosters in the league. They’ll have the draft capital and money to spend in free agency to remedy some problems.
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What Are The Washington Commanders Biggest Offseason Needs?
The Washington Commanders need help everywhere. It seems dramatic but there isn’t one position where the Commanders excelled in 2023. Terry McLaurin carries the wide receiver room, which is probably the lowest positional concern level, but Jahan Dotson hit the sophomore slump last season. Defensive tackle is also respectable. Alabama alums Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen are both former Pro Bowlers but their respective numbers took a dip without reliable edge rushers next to them.
The rest of the defense is replaceable. The one solid cornerback, Kendall Fuller, is a free agent. The secondary surrendered the most passing yards per game (262.2) and the run defense (sixth worst) wasn’t far behind. In total, they allowed the most yards and points per game to opposing offenses.
DJ Moore MAKING THE COMMANDERS DANCE 🤣
pic.twitter.com/lxEAxFwYyN— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) October 6, 2023
Yet, teams don’t win without an elite quarterback option. Sam Howell flashed at times but took too many sacks and stalled late in the season. He was set to be benched for the final few games until backup Jacoby Brissett suffered an injury during practice. They’re committed to moving on from Howell.
Although the rushing attack didn’t help the offense much (sixth-worst 93.6 yards per game), Brian Robinson Jr. will likely get another year of being the starter. Antonio Gibson is a free agent. Chris Rodriguez Jr. will move up the depth chart if the Commanders don’t make any investments in the position via the draft or free agency.
Who Should The Commanders Target In The NFL Draft?
The Commanders are one of several quarterback-needy teams slotted to select near the start of the NFL Draft. When the calendar flips to May, Washington should have their new franchise signal caller.
Whether drafted by the Bears or another team that delivers the ‘historic haul’ to move up, Caleb Williams is the heavy favorite to be the first-overall pick. That leaves Washington, picking second, with their choice of Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. The former is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. The latter was pegged as a future NFL starter since he took his first snap at North Carolina.
Jayden Daniels becomes the Commanders new QB1 in our latest mock draft 🪖 pic.twitter.com/eQ0zYJFggK
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) February 20, 2024
The Commanders own two more top-40 picks. Their own second-rounder is 36th overall and the Montez Sweat trade netted Washington the 40th overall pick. That selection (or the third-round pick they acquired for Chase Young) should be used to replace the pass rushers they traded away. Protecting their new quarterback by bolstering their offensive line is also crucial. With so many missing pieces, the rebuild will take more than one offseason to complete.
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