A-
Washington Commanders
The Commanders finally solved quarterback, and it carried them to a A-.
by Justice ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 15 picks
· 9 steals
· 3 reaches
After circling the position for what felt like forever, the Commanders committed. Caleb Williams is the quarterback now, and the roster gets built to his timeline.
The Jackson pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. The cost of the Thomas reach is exactly the players who went right after him. They will regret leaving interior defensive lineman for another day if the season turns on it.
In the end it comes back to Caleb Williams, and a haul good enough to build on right away.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 2 they get the arm they will build around at fair value. A real need, handled.
Troy Fautanu in the Round 2 slot is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They let Brian Thomas Jr. come to them and pounced at No. 40. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
You do not let a linebacker like Edgerrin Cooper reach slot 67 and blink. They did not. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
A tidy bit of business in the 91st overall pick, where Mike Sainristil graded well above the range. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A big swing on Ben Sinnott at pick 100, well ahead of any board in the building. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A top-tier running back at a bargain, Blake Corum in pick No. 108, plain and simple. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Xavier Thomas at the 129th pick is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It fills a real need, too.
Circle this one: Khyree Jackson at pick 139 is a fall that decides a draft. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A premium they did not need to pay, Marist Liufau a notch or two before his time. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
A tidy little value on Tykee Smith in No. 167, a step better than break-even. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Christian Jones at the Round 5 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Isaiah Williams at the 219th overall pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A market-rate running back, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Frank Gore Jr.. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Dominique Hampton at slot 255 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.