A-
Washington Commanders
The Commanders drew a line under the quarterback search with McCarthy: A-.
by 9 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 2 reaches
The search is over. The Commanders handed the keys to J.J. McCarthy, and the whole operation now runs on his development.
The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend. They banked enough surplus on Rakestraw Jr. to cover a lot of smaller sins.
They will answer for taking linebacker early while wide receiver, tight end and other spots went begging. The wide receiver hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
Add it up and few war rooms did better this weekend, J.J. McCarthy and all.
Pick-by-Pick
A reach on J.J. McCarthy in the 21st pick; the board had better options right there. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A quiet steal in pick 36: Chop Robinson for less than the market said. A need, and now a little less of one.
Steal is underselling it; Troy Fautanu at pick No. 40 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. at No. 67 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Somehow Payton Wilson was still sitting there in slot 78, and they pounced on premier linebacker value. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They bypassed pressing needs at wide receiver, tight end and other spots to take Cedric Gray, a linebacker that was not the priority.
Circle this one: Matt Goncalves at the 139th overall pick is a fall that decides a draft. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Fair-plus on Tommy Eichenberg, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
They robbed the room for Joe Milton III here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.