B
Washington Commanders
A solid, sensible weekend for the Commanders: B.
by Maddmax ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 2 reaches
You can draft well and still miss the point. The Commanders did plenty of tidy work and somehow never got around to tight end, which was the need that mattered most.
Landing Lew that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. Reaching for Claiborne left real value on the table behind him.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 13 they get a lockdown presence outside at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
They paid sticker price for Brenen Thompson in pick No. 93, and that is fine. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Connor Lew at slot 99 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Demond Claiborne in the 147th overall pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. The roster fit checks out.
No edge and no loss on VJ Payne in No. 200; it is a wash and a sensible one. A minor itch, scratched.
Nice patience on Jeff Caldwell, who had no business lasting to the Round 6 slot. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
The board had cheaper options than Jadon Canady at the 209th pick, and it noticed. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Nothing to complain about; Landon Robinson went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.