B-
Washington Commanders
Penix Jr. is the Commanders' new face under center. Grade: B-.
by jcc ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 2 reaches
After circling the position for what felt like forever, the Commanders committed. Michael Penix Jr. is the quarterback now, and the roster gets built to his timeline. Solid and sensible more than spectacular: a B-.
Getting James where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. The running back spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
The Sainristil reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade. They left with wide receiver solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get their quarterback of the future at fair value.
A premium they did not need to pay, Troy Fautanu a notch or two before his time. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
By-the-book stuff, Chris Braswell at No. 42 squarely in line with his ranking. A need, and now a little less of one.
Nice patience on Jordan Morgan, who had no business lasting to Round 3, Pick 2. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They barely believed it either: D.J. James still on the board at pick No. 100. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Luke Lachey at pick 102 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A reach for Mike Sainristil in the 139th overall pick; a little patience would have been rewarded. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A market-rate wide receiver, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Moose Muhammad III. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Omar Speights in the 223rd overall pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.