B-
Washington Commanders
Quarterback settled, Maye in the fold, and a B- for the Commanders.
by Brice ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 1 steals
· 2 reaches
The search is over. The Commanders handed the keys to Drake Maye, and the whole operation now runs on his development. A sturdy weekend that grades out a B-.
If Smith pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. The Thomas Jr. pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
Drake Maye at Round 1, Pick 2 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It fills a real need, too.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Brian Thomas Jr. in slot 36. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A tidy little value on Jordan Morgan in pick 40, a step better than break-even. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Christian Haynes in the 67th overall pick is fair value, right on his grade. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Cade Stover at the 78th pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the tight end. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Maason Smith at the Round 3 slot is a conviction pick that outran the value. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Mason McCormick. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They paid a round early for Dwight McGlothern in No. 152, more than the board wanted. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
JD Bertrand at No. 222 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A minor need, but a need all the same.