D+
Washington Commanders
Maye is the plan now, and the Commanders grade out a D+.
by Meandwarf ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
The Commanders lost the trade war and it was not close, handing partners the better end again and again. Hard to defend, and the D+ reflects that.
The whole projection now runs through Drake Maye; hit there and everything else looks smarter. The Barner reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade.
If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through interior defensive lineman. Landing Carson that late papers over a lot of smaller sins.
Add it up and it is a weekend the front office will hope everyone forgets, interior defensive lineman very much included.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 5 they get the arm they will build around. A clean fit for the roster.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Brian Thomas Jr. at pick No. 36. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Chop Robinson at Round 2, Pick 8 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the edge rusher. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
No edge and no loss on Junior Colson in the Round 3 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
A reach for Bucky Irving in No. 80; a little patience would have been rewarded. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Zak Zinter in slot 94 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Caelen Carson at the 101st pick is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Blake Fisher in the 103rd overall pick. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Darius Robinson in the 113th pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A need, and now a little less of one.
This one needs a full-page explanation: AJ Barner in No. 181, miles early. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A reach on Myles Jones in slot 220; the board had better options right there. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.