Commanders Report Card: Washington Makes the Grade?
The Washington Commanders have had an up-and-down offseason so far.
With uncertainty regarding the quarterback position, the Commanders received mixed criticism after failing to make a considerable upgrade and signing Jacoby Brissett as a veteran to back up Sam Howell. However, Bleacher Report commended their attempt to commit to Howell and build around him for 2023.
"The Commanders had a stronger early offseason than it might seem at first blush," Bleacher Report writes. "They put in a fair bit of work to give second-year quarterback Sam Howell a legitimate chance to succeed."
Howell will be coached by Eric Bieniemy, the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator for the past five seasons. Hiring Bieniemy is arguably the team's biggest transaction so far. On the field, the team signed players to protect Howell, including former Chiefs offensive tackle Andrew Wylie.
However, Bleacher Report was not a fan of the team's draft, specifically its efforts in the first round. This resulted in Bleacher Report giving the Commanders a "C+" for their efforts so far going into OTA's.
"Things went a little wonky for Washington early in the draft when it reached for cornerback Emmanuel Forbes," Bleacher Report writes. "The Mississippi State product has immense playmaking potential (six interceptions, three pick-sixes last season), but the 166-pound defender was the 103rd-ranked prospect on the final B/R big board."
Even though Bleacher Report hasn't held Forbes in high regard, he has had glowing reviews coming out of rookie minicamp. The Commanders hope Forbes can prove Bleacher Report wrong and validate why they picked the Mississippi State cornerback with the No. 16 pick.
Ultimately, the Commanders still have moves to make ahead of the season opener on Sept. 10, but the team's transactions thus far have people believing Washington could be heading down a number of paths in 2023.
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