B+
Washington Commanders
A franchise passer in McCarthy headlines a B+ weekend for the Commanders.
by Meandwarf ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 15 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
They finally answered the question that shadows every other one. J.J. McCarthy is the Commanders' quarterback, full stop. It nets out to a B+, which feels about right.
The phones were where this weekend was really won. That Devonshire pick is the receipt they will wave around later. The Commanders paired the rookies with proven help, Derwin James Jr. leading the way.
Reaching for McCarthy left real value on the table behind him.
A tidy weekend of work that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 11 they get their guy under center for the next decade, a steep price for the projection. A real need, handled.
In pick No. 23 they get a building block for the line. The biggest hole, addressed.
Xavier Legette in the 36th overall pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Darius Robinson at the 37th pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
No drama and no debate, Edgerrin Cooper went about where he belonged in No. 44. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
A straight-up fair deal on Cade Stover at the Round 3 slot, value and slot in agreement. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
The board had cheaper options than Khyree Jackson at Round 3, Pick 14, and it noticed. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A reach on Javon Solomon in pick 100; the board had better options right there. This was not a hole anyone had circled.
Maason Smith in slot 109 is fair value, right on his grade. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Isaac Guerendo at the 112th pick jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. The roster fit checks out.
Good price on James Williams in pick No. 128, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
By-the-book stuff, Trevor Keegan at the Round 5 slot squarely in line with his ranking. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Anthony Gould in the 148th overall pick is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They let Isaiah Adams come to them and pounced at No. 152. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They will replay M.J. Devonshire at pick 222 for years; that is how good the value is. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.