Commanders reportedly interested in trading up for No. 1 overall pick
On the heels of a six-game losing streak, the Washington Commanders appear to be in prime position to land one of the top two quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
As enticing as North Carolina’s Drake Maye is to some teams, the Commanders appear to have other plans. ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently reported that Washington has its eye on USC’s Caleb Williams, and the team could even be desperate enough to trade up to get him.
“There’s some thought around the league that Washington is very interested in Caleb Williams, a Washington, D.C., native who’s the strong favorite to be picked first overall,” Graziano wrote. “The Commanders, with a break here or there over the next couple of weeks, could find themselves in position to either draft Williams or trade up a spot or two to get him.”
Head coach Ron Rivera is likely to be shown the door once the season ends. It makes sense for Washington, which is under the direction of a new ownership group eager to put its stamp on a franchise desperate to bring back fans that former owner Daniel Snyder drove away, to want to pair a new head coach with a new franchise QB.
While Sam Howell looked like he could potentially be the Commanders QB of the future during the first 10 games of the year, it’s clear with his recent benching for Jacoby Brissett that the team is ready to move on.
Howell ranks 11th in passing yards (3,624) and he’s tied for 14th in touchdowns (19), but he leads the NFL in interceptions (17) and sacks (60) and he ranks 27th in passer rating (80.5).
With games against the San Francisco 49ers (11-4) and Dallas Cowboys (10-5) to close out the season, there’s a very good chance the Commanders, who currently have the No. 3 pick in the draft per Tankathon, will finish the year 4-13 and have a top-three draft pick.
Should the 3-12 Arizona Cardinals beat either the Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) or Seattle Seahawks (8-7) in their final two games, the Commanders could move up to the No. 2 overall pick, which may or may not get them Williams depending on what the Chicago Bears decide to do.
Chicago could try and leverage the top pick to squeeze a few extra draft choices out of Washington to ensure it gets its guy, much like the 49ers did to the Bears in 2017 when they acquired their third- and fourth-round selections that year plus a third-rounder the following year so Chicago could move up one spot and get QB Mitch Trubisky.
READ MORE:
The Washington Commanders are ‘very interested’ in Caleb Williams: report
One name stands out among the rest from the 2024 NFL quarterback draft prospects.
Caleb Williams.
The Bears have the greatest odds of having the chance to select the USC quarterback. They own the No. 1 pick — as of this writing — by way of the Panthers’ league-worst record. They haven’t said as much, however. While questions remain, there’s a possibility the Bears hang on to Justin Fields. Heck, they might be more interested in Drake Maye.
But one team is reportedly “very interested” in the USC quarterback.
“There’s some thought around the league that Washington [Commanders] is very interested in Caleb Williams, a Washington, D.C., native who’s the strong favorite to be picked first overall. The Commanders, with a break here or there over the next couple of weeks, could find themselves in a position to either draft Williams or trade up a spot or two to get him,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote in his latest notebook.
Recently, Ron Rivera and the Commanders announced they plan to bench 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell for Jacoby Brissett against the 49ers this week. He’ll likely remain on the sideline for the final game of their season, too. This season will likely be his last with the Commanders.
Howell, after starting the season phenomenally, has since dropped off. Over the Commanders’ six-game losing streak, Howell has thrown for 1,153 yards (192 yards per game), five touchdowns and eight interceptions. He’s also completing passes at a paltry 57% clip.
It’s safe to say the Commanders are ready to move on. Currently, they have the rights to the No. 3 picks in the 2024 NFL draft behind the Bears and the Cardinals. They’re in range for Williams, Drake Maye, or their definite choice of Jayden Daniels or JJ McCarthy. But without Williams or Maye, it’s more likely they shoot for a position player.
But, as Graziano reported, the Commanders could be interested in trading up to capture Williams. That means going through Ryan Poles and the Bears to make that happen. Remember, Poles already passed this class. He earned a king’s ransom for the No. 1 pick last season, including this year’s No. 1 pick, future picks and DJ Moore.
Would he be willing to do it again?
Jumping two spots compared to last season’s eight spots won’t likely earn the Bears a return similar to that of 2023. But, Williams is a much more desired commodity, meaning they’ll certainly earn a worthwhile package if they decide to move off the No. 1 pick.
But therein lies the question — should the Bears dodge the offers and use it to draft Williams themselves? Fields’ future with the Bears is in flux after another questionable season under center. And Fields is not Poles’ quarterback.
Is it time for Poles to take the wheel and find a signal caller to call his own?
That’ll be the question that begs an answer once the season wraps up. But know this, there will be plenty of interested suitors if the Bears opt to trade the No. 1 pick, including the Commanders, according to the report.
Which path will Poles & Co. take the Bears down?
