B+
Washington Commanders
The Commanders won the night they stopped Arnold from sliding. Grade: B+.
by U ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 1 steals
· 3 reaches
If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Commanders, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. Good, not great, and the B+ says as much.
For all the activity, wide receiver went untouched, which is hard to explain. The Eichenberg pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at wide receiver, quarterback and other spots. That is a cornerback worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
The Justin Fields pickup adds a known quantity to a class of unknowns.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 10 they get protection for the quarterback, even if it was a touch early. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Chris Braswell in the 34th overall pick is fair value, right on his grade. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
The board fumbled Terrion Arnold all the way to the Round 2 slot, and they scooped it up. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Good price on Edgerrin Cooper in No. 66, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
They paid sticker price for Blake Fisher in pick No. 100, and that is fine. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A want over a need in the 102nd pick: Tommy Eichenberg adds a linebacker while wide receiver, quarterback and other spots keeps waiting.
A straight-up fair deal on Javion Cohen at pick No. 139, value and slot in agreement. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
By-the-book stuff, Trey Knox at the 180th pick squarely in line with his ranking. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A reach for Fentrell Cypress II 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.