The Washington Commanders have almost completely overhauled the roster since new general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn took over.
While the biggest question remains which quarterback Washington will select with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft later this month, there are a few other question marks on offense that will need to be addressed.
At running back, the team seems in good shape with Brian Robinson Jr. as the bruising every down back and the addition of Austin Ekler to serve as a change of pace option who can also serve as a reliable receiver for the young QB that comes to DC.
The Washington Commanders will likely draft a young tight end to learn behind Zach Ertz — who the team brought in due to his familiarity with new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Peters has made a few moves to bolster one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL in 2023, but Washington will still use the draft to fill voids up front, particularly at tackle.
Last season, Washington’s WR group looked solid on paper. The trio of Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson felt like it could be a nightmare for opposing defenses, but former OC Eric Bieniemy struggled to scheme ways to get the ball to McLaurin on a regular basis. The former Ohio State wideout is considered a top 10 NFL WR and has thrived in Washington despite inconsistency at the QB position.
Dotson felt poised for a breakout season after a noteworthy rookie campaign, but took a step back in the new offense.
Samuel had his best season in Washington, but the team decided to part ways with him in the offseason. With McLaurin and Dotson as small, speedsters who can beat defenses over the top, Washington is lacking a jack-of-all trades bigger bodied wideout who can line up from all the WR positions and compliment McLaurin’s skillset.
A recent trade proposal from Bleacher Report solves that problem via a trade between Washington and the San Francisco 49ers, who Peters has plenty of familiarity with as he’s been the architect behind that roster under John Lynch for the last several years.
Washington Commanders Land Brandon Aiyuk In Blockbuster Trade
There will be more trades as we move closer to and into the 2024 NFL draft—and one of the names that has been mentioned is Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers. Aiyuk has topped 1,000 receiving yards each of the past two years, but he’s heading into the option year of his rookie contract, and extension talks with the Niners are “not close” to any kind of agreement, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
San Francisco may not have the resources to pay Aiyuk over $20 million a year. There are too many high-priced offensive players already on the roster, and quarterback Brock Purdy is due for a gargantuan raise when he’s eligible for a new contract next season.
Trading for Aiyuk won’t come cheaply—San Francisco reportedly wanted a first-round pick and wideout Zay Jones from the Jacksonville Jaguars for Aiyuk. Potential suitors need both draft capital to spare and the cap space to give Aiyuk an extension.
The Washington Commanders have the cap space necessary to make a move for Brandon Aiyuk, and here’s how Bleacher Report sees a potential trade going down.
In many respects, the Commanders are the NFC equivalent of the New England Patriots. Like the Patriots, the 2023 season was a disaster in D.C. Like the Patriots, the Commanders have a high draft pick that will all but certainly be used to select their quarterback of the future. And like the Pats, wide receiver is an area of need in Washington.
Washington Commanders Give Up Jahan Dotson And Draft Pick For Brandon Aiyuk
In the proposed trade from Bleacher Report, the Commanders part ways with Dotson and two draft picks in exchange for Aiyuk and a 6th round pick.
Commanders Get: WR Brandon Aiyuk, 2024 Round 6 Pick (No. 211)
49ers Get: 2024 Round 2 Pick (No. 36), 2024 Round 3 Pick (No. 67), WR Jahan Dotson
That need isn’t as pronounced—the Washington Commanders have a proven high-end wideout in Terry McLaurin. But Curtis Samuel left the team in free agency, and 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson hasn’t met expectations over his two seasons in the NFL.
Still, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told reporters he believes the organization has most of the pieces needed to help the young quarterback they are going to draft succeed.
“I think the whole thing at any position you wanna make sure are you surrounded,” Quinn said. “Do you have balance? Any quarterback’s best friend [is] the ability to hand it off some cause that’s where good play passes will come off of. If you have a strong run game [and] strong defense that can get the ball back, that’s for any quarterback that we want to have and be able to support a balanced attack. [We can have] big play passes off of it. I wouldn’t say it’s as specific just to our situation here. That’s really who we want to be all the time.”
Aiyuk would be another massive step toward building around that quarterback. An Aiyuk/McLaurin pairing would likely rank among the league’s top 10 duos at the position. Cap space isn’t an issue—no team in the NFC has more than the Washington Commanders.
And while the second overall pick is too tall an ask, the Commanders have four Day 2 picks to play with. The team could also include Dotson, who is on a rookie contract for at least two more seasons, to sweeten the deal and reduce the sting of the 49ers not getting a first-rounder.