The Commanders nailed the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels carried the franchise to the NFC championship game for the first time in 31 years. General manager Adam Peters will look to work more magic this week with less ammunition.
The Commanders entered last year’s draft with nine selections, wheeling and dealing on draft day to maximize the selections. Peters has just five picks in this year’s draft, which begins on Thursday. He opted to trade several picks to bring in Pro Bowl wide receiver Deebo Samuel and cornerstone left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Washington’s first selection isn’t expected to arrive until pick No. 29 on Thursday night, barring any additional trades. A lot can happen before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces that the Commanders are on the clock, though.
Last year, the Commanders’ options were clear at the second pick. The Chicago Bears were a virtual lock to take signal-caller Caleb Williams with the first pick. Washington, which desperately needed a franchise quarterback, was widely expected to take Daniels or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Any other selection would have shocked the league.
That won’t be the case this year.
“This draft is interesting just because there’s very little certainty after the first 10 picks or so,” Peters told reporters on Tuesday. “We have to be ready for a lot of different guys to fall to us or not fall to us.”
For the first time since 1993, every NFL team has its own first-round pick with less than a week remaining before the draft. There has never been a draft in the last 58 years where every NFL franchise used their original first-round selection without a trade.
That might not hold.
Peters said he — along with the other 31 general managers — will spend the final 48 hours before the draft making phone calls. Even if a trade doesn’t materialize, the Commanders front office wants to know its options.
“You’re really open to everything. You’re open to moving up … if there’s a great player that we want to sit and pick, we’ll do that,” Peters said. “But if there’s an opportunity to move back, then we’re certainly open to that too.”
After a franchise-altering overhaul featuring dozens of free-agent signings last offseason, the Commanders were relatively quiet in this year’s market.
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw joined the franchise on a three-year, $45 million contract, but most of Washington’s resources were dedicated to the blockbuster trades and retaining players.
Veterans like linebacker Bobby Wagner and tight end Zach Ertz re-signed, leading the 2025 Commanders to look a lot like the 2024 Commanders. The strengths are the same — with Daniels leading what should be a dynamic offense — but so are the weaknesses.
Last year’s squad struggled on defense, especially on the edges of the defensive line. Kinlaw will boost the interior, but question marks remain on the outside. Dante Fowler Jr., who led the Commanders with 10.5 sacks, signed with the rival Dallas Cowboys.
Washington is left with a clear hole at defensive end.
Luckily for the Commanders, there’s a lot of depth at that position in this year’s draft.
“It’s a deep class, which is cool. There’s something for everybody. There’s guys that are great against the pass; there are guys that are great against the run,” Peters said. “So whether you’re taking that [position] high in the draft or somewhere deeper, there’s going to be some good players there.”
Peters and company won’t be forcing anything, though. They don’t have to — the roster is strong enough already.
“It’s great to have that freedom and mindset,” assistant general manager Lance Newmark said. “We can really do what we think is best and not be tied to positional value.”
Beyond that, Peters and Newmark were mum about their actual plans for the draft. Most decision-makers around the league offer the same platitudes to the media this time of year — that they’re looking for the best player available.
Washington’s staff was no exception.
“What’s the best player that’s going to help us now and in the future?” Peters said of his process. “It’s really just trying to pick the best Commander for us who’s going to help us the most.”
Peters is following the same playbook he used last year to great success. Beyond Daniels, cornerback Mike Sainristil, left tackle Brandon Coleman and defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton made immediate impacts as rookies.
The process — which relies on collaboration between executives, coaches and scouts — is mostly unchanged. Peters did flash a cheeky smile when he described the newly built war room where he’ll make picks this weekend.
“A lot of cool new bells and whistles,” he said. “There’s always new information out there. It’s always evolving, and you’re always trying to stay ahead of that and really be on the cutting edge.”
Tuesday’s biggest grins came from the players who reported to the team facility for the first day of the offseason program. A giddy Daniels was seen sprinting into the franchise’s headquarters.
“We’ve got a big crew coming back,” Peters said. “Ton of juice in this building.”
The first round of the NFL draft begins at 8 p.m. on Thursday in Green Bay.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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