B+
Washington Commanders
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Commanders a B+.
by mwilliams ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 20 picks
· 6 steals
· 8 reaches
If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Commanders, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. Call it a sensible B+, earned the boring way.
The Commanders indulged a want in Liufau while a need in quarterback stayed open. A whole weekend of picks and quarterback is somehow still a want. That Liufau pick is the receipt they will wave around later.
They will need Logue to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it.
A tidy weekend of work that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 16th overall pick they get a cornerstone up front at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
In the Round 1 slot they get an anchor for the offensive line. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
By-the-book stuff, Chop Robinson at slot 35 squarely in line with his ranking. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They paid sticker price for Bralen Trice in pick 36, and that is fine. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Good price on Kamren Kinchens in pick No. 38, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Troy Franklin slipping to Round 2, Pick 8 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They liked Ja'Tavion Sanders enough to skip the value, taking him in the 44th pick. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They went early on Cooper Beebe in No. 67, and the value did not follow. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. at pick No. 69 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It adds depth where they could use a little.
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Mike Sainristil. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They jumped the gun on Ray Davis, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A surprising call. With quarterback still to address, they spent the Round 4 slot on Marist Liufau, a linebacker they were not short of.
Zak Zinter at the 105th overall pick is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They paid up for Ben Sinnott at Round 4, Pick 33 when waiting would have done the job. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
They let Johnny Dixon come to them and pounced at slot 140. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A reach on Theo Johnson in pick 141; the board had better options right there. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Andru Phillips slid further than he should have, and the Round 6 slot is lovely value for the cornerback. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
AJ Barner in pick 184 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A reach for Trevor Keegan in the 223rd overall pick; a little patience would have been rewarded. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Zion Logue at pick No. 234 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.