ASHBURN, Va. — Sometimes, the obvious choice is the right one.
Any credible outside list of roster needs for the Washington Commanders entering the 2023 NFL Draft starts at offensive line and cornerback, or vice versa. The man running the show from inside team headquarters agreed.
“The priority kind of showed itself a little bit, where you saw us go with the two defensive backs and the two offensive linemen,” head coach Ron Rivera said near the end of the third and final day of the draft on Saturday. “(Then) it kind of just sticks to that. That’s one of the things we want to continue in terms of depth.
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The Commanders ended up making seven selections after trading one on Day 3 to move up to the fifth round. Two edge rushers and a running back round out the team’s draft class. Whether the prospects turn out to be building blocks or useful pieces, time will tell. There is no mystery in the positions.
Tracker of commanders: Analysis of every choice
Marks: Round 1 | Round 2-3 | Rounds 4-7
Best left: Top undrafted free agents
That includes free agency. Washington was not an active spender, dropping eye-opening money only on an extension for defensive tackle Daron Payne. As for the outside additions, they signed two offensive linemen — tackle Andrew Wylie and center Nick Gates.
Signing linebacker Cody Barton proactively tackled a hole before four-year starter Cole Holcomb entered the scene. The acquisition of cornerback Cameron Dantzler off waivers from Minnesota solidified that unit. While Sam Howell will get first crack as the team’s starting quarterback, veteran Jacoby Brissett will also push for the job.
Direct list building. Quirky maneuvers are left behind for all the off-field noise surrounding this franchise. With the college football season over, Rivera and his staff did everything they could to focus on the offseason calendar.
“I think we filled a lot of needs in free agency and now,” general manager Martin Mayhew said. “I think we keep looking. We are constantly striving to be better.”
Whether the Commanders are improved won’t be clear for some time. Maybe that’s during training camp or the first month of the upcoming season. Perhaps the signs will come during the midseason surge, an annual tradition in the three seasons under Rivera. But at the very least, Washington recognized the flaws and worked to fix them.
Their arrangement with Forbes has been clear, at least in the scouting community.
The Patriots selected cornerback Christian Gonzalez one spot after Washington used the 16th pick on Forbes. Even though Gonzalez is the highest-rated corner on many public draft boards and surprisingly available, Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh told local reporters that New England is comfortable trading down of Washington from its original choice of 14 because they knew the Commanders’ plan.
That may seem like an issue, but the Commanders know who they want, not by guesswork but by hours of homework.
Washington’s senior director of player personnel Eric Stokes fell for Forbes during the pre-draft process. He knows about 6-foot-1 size and 4.35 speed. Impressive defensive stats — 14 interceptions, an NCAA record six pick sixes — are available. But seeing Forbes’ instincts on tape boggled Stokes’ mind.
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“The play he made against Kentucky when he blocked the screen was probably one of the more amazing plays I’ve seen in years,” Stokes said. “When I saw that, I was like, ‘Wow.’ That’s the only reason why I (watch) him more and more.
Stokes and the scouting department are not locked into one player at the expense of the overall plan. Washington has indicated that it will add additional secondary aid if possible. Picking Illinois nickelback Quan Martin in the second round was by design, but also a product of how the draft fell in relation to their curated big board.
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“There were some priorities in addressing the second,” Stokes said, “but at the same time, the board will be talking to you as you go through this process throughout the day. … The board is speaking to us that there is depth in secondary position and that there are kind of different skill sets there that definitely fit what we want to do defensively.”
The Commanders opened Saturday by drafting Utah guard/tackle Braeden Daniels in Round 4, after selecting Arkansas center Ricky Stromberg in the third round on Friday.
Another positional double dip began by drafting Clemson edge rusher KJ Henry at No. 137, a pick acquired by trading 150 and 215 to the Bills. Washington took another pass rusher, Louisiana’s Andre Jones, with its final pick. The Commanders lost reserve Shaka Toney for the 2023 season to a gambling suspension, and their top five defensive ends are playing on expiring contracts.
In between those picks, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy received a gift with the selection of Kentucky power runner Chris Rodriguez Jr. in the sixth.
“Big physical guy, with some of the things that Eric wants to do,” Rivera said of the 5-11, 217-pound Rodriguez, a college teammate of linebacker Jamin Davis. “This is a guy that Eric is very high on. He’s a guy that Eric thinks is definitely going to have a role for us on the offensive end.”
Some will argue the lack of a new linebacker, tight end or quarterback, but the options at the position are fine and, hopefully, productive.
The draft is over, but the work continues. Stokes took a break from helping Washington land undrafted free agents to meet with the media. Soon, Rivera and Mayhew will consider adding veteran free agents and likely say goodbye to some of their players.
“The draft is not a finish line,” Mayhew said. “We’re not done yet. It’s April. … There is a lot of time before the season starts, and we will continue to try to make our roster better.”
(Ricky Stromberg Photo: Andrew Dieb / USA Today)
