With new general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn taking over the Washington Commanders, the consensus view has been that the franchise would take a quarterback with the second-overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. There are a number of teams selecting after the top-three picks that need a young starting quarterback and are interested in moving up. Those teams include the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, some of these teams reached out to the Commanders to start the framework for Washington to trade down and load up on future draft picks, but those trade offers were turned down by Peters. Teams were told that Washington is staying at No. 2. Sticking with the second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft signals that the Commanders are all-in on taking a quarterback.
The Chicago Bears are expected to take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first-overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. That leaves Washington likely to select between North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Some in the organization are higher on Daniels over Maye, but that is not throughout the entire team, and the decision-makers haven’t settled on who they would take at No. 2 if Williams is off the board. The Commanders also are vetting Williams in case Chicago falls in love with Maye or Daniels and allow Williams to fall to the No. 2 pick.
Washington has not had above-average starting quarterback play since Alex Smith was injured and has not had a young franchise quarterback since Kirk Cousins emerged as a good starter under Jay Gruden. Peters and Quinn are determined to end that streak and take a quarterback. In speaking to sources from other teams, they had an opinion which quarterback would a better fit for new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, and that is who I have the Commanders taking in my latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft.
