D
Washington Commanders
Williams is the plan now, and the Commanders grade out a D.
by Meandwarf ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 14 picks
· 6 steals
· 2 reaches
The Commanders lost the trade war and it was not close, handing partners the better end again and again. A D that will need time and luck to look better.
The whole projection now runs through Caleb Williams; hit there and everything else looks smarter. Leaving interior defensive lineman unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
They will need Sinnott to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. The Hopper pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
It is a steep hill from here, and the grade knows it.
Pick-by-Pick
Caleb Williams in pick 2 is fair value, right on his grade. A need, and now a little less of one.
A slide stopped in slot 36, with Jordan Morgan worth more than the price. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
The board had Brian Thomas Jr. higher than the Round 2 slot, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Chris Braswell at Round 3, Pick 3. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
No edge and no loss on Zak Zinter in the 95th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
By-the-book stuff, Khyree Jackson at No. 100 squarely in line with his ranking. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Tyrice Knight in pick No. 118 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
Value said wait; Ben Sinnott in the 121st overall pick says they were not listening. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
MarShawn Lloyd in pick No. 141 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Ty'Ron Hopper at the 173rd pick is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
Kitan Oladapo is a better player than the 179th overall pick suggests; smart patience, rewarded. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
A market-rate tight end, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Trey Knox. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They paid a round early for Stefon Thompson in pick 223, more than the board wanted. Need-wise, a curious use of the pick.
A straight-up fair deal on Joshua Cephus at Round 7, Pick 16, value and slot in agreement. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.