The Washington Commanders are facing a pivotal moment as they aim to secure a franchise quarterback in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, where they hold the coveted second overall pick.
While the prospect of landing a top-tier QB is within reach, there’s a growing faction within the organization advocating for a strategic move to trade up and ensure they secure the best available talent.
The team’s quarterback situation has been tumultuous, marked by challenges under former head coach Ron Rivera. From Alex Smith’s career-ending injury to unsuccessful attempts with Carson Wentz and Sam Howell, the Commanders have been searching for stability at the position. With Dan Quinn now at the helm, there’s a renewed sense of urgency to provide him with a young, standout quarterback talent.
With the second pick in the draft, the Commanders are poised to select either North Carolina’s Drake Maye or Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, particularly after the Chicago Bears are anticipated to choose Caleb Williams with the top pick.
However, there’s speculation within the organization about the possibility of trading up to secure the star quarterback from USC, Caleb Williams.
ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano has hinted at the Washington Commanders’ potential interest in trading up for Williams.
“There are those in the Commanders organization who are fascinated with the idea of drafting DC native Williams, even if that means trading up from No. 2 to No. 1 to get him.”
While there’s speculation that new Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s previous association with Williams at USC could influence the decision, Graziano suggests otherwise, indicating that other factors will likely drive any trade discussions.
“I would expect the Commanders to look into what it would take to draft Williams, but I’d caution against thinking they hired Kingsbury based on any belief or certainty that they were going to get him.”
Furthermore, there’s internal debate within the Commanders organization regarding the suitability of Maye and Daniels for Kingsbury’s offensive system. Some believe that Maye’s experience in a compatible system could align well with Kingsbury’s approach, while others see similarities between Daniels’ skill set and successful quarterbacks like Kyler Murray and Patrick Mahomes, whom Kingsbury has coached in the past.
Despite the Commanders’ focus on Williams, there’s uncertainty surrounding the Bears’ intentions with the top pick. There’s a possibility that they could trade out of the position, as they did in the previous year, given their confidence in Justin Fields as their franchise quarterback.
This uncertainty adds another layer of complexity to Washington’s draft strategy.
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