C
Washington Commanders
The phones sank the Commanders this weekend: C.
by Maddmax ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 2 reaches
Somewhere a scout is still blinking. The Commanders spent slot 147 on VJ Payne, a name the board had a full 45 spots lower.
The trade table is where this weekend went wrong. They will regret leaving tight end for another day if the season turns on it.
Moore at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster.
It grades out a shrug today, with plenty of room to move either way.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 7 they get a problem off the edge at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
A tidy bit of business in the 72nd overall pick, where Christen Miller graded well above the range. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A straight-up fair deal on Bryce Lance at the 84th pick, value and slot in agreement. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Taking Logan Jones in pick 110 is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Somehow Devin Moore was still sitting there in the Round 4 slot, and they pounced on premier cornerback value. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A tidy little value on Keylan Rutledge in Round 4, Pick 20, a step better than break-even. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They left a pile of value on the table to take VJ Payne this early at pick 147. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Jeff Caldwell at pick No. 201 is money in the bank, a wide receiver taken below his worth. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They paid up for Noah Whittington at Round 6, Pick 28 when waiting would have done the job. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.