NFL Draft Order: Washington Commanders Receive Offseason Help During Bye Week
If it’s possible to win one’s bye week, the Washington Commanders did so in dominant fashion in Week 14.
The white flag has been raised and attention has been cast forward to the 2024 NFL Draft, meaning mock draft simulators have been firing since Washington sent its two best edge rushers out at the trade deadline. Because of the Commanders’ obscenely late bye week, they were able to pick up an extra loss before most of the league, falling to 4-9.
This had them selecting fourth overall in most mock drafts, but a week off while 30 teams put them in danger of falling out of range for an elite prospect. The New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, and New York Jets each entered the week at 4-8. Every single one of them came away with a win.
Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu is a common mock draft target for the Commanders.
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As a result, Washington retains sole possession of the fourth overall draft pick and the rights to what many projects to be the first prospect taken that isn’t named Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Marvin Harrison Jr.
While the crop of offensive tackles Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu, receivers Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers, or even quarterback Jayden Daniels are viewed by the consensus as a step below those aforementioned headliners, having their pick of the litter is important. The Commanders may be hesitant to draft a third starting-quality receiver or cut quarterback Sam Howell’s tenure short, but the opportunity to find elite offensive talent is good in itself.
Of course, one game ahead of the flock of Week 14’s victors means they are a game closer to jumping up to a top-three pick. Should the Arizona Cardinals or New England Patriots win more than Washington the rest of the way (and some strength of schedule luck fall in its favor), a chance at a true blue-chip prospect can come to fruition.
It seems unlikely that Howell will get replaced by Daniels, who just won the Heisman Trophy, but Maye or Williams could move the needle for ownership and (presumably) new decision-makers
There’s also the advantage of having more trade capital, in the event a later pick and a bountiful return change their minds.
For those rooting for the tank, Sunday was an unequivocal win. Of course, having the fourth pick is meaningless in December.
Holding position by season’s end likely means losing to the Los Angeles Rams, Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys. With how well those teams are playing (and how well New York’s defense matches up with Washington), a 4-13 season and a top-four pick is a real possibility.
