Washington Commanders fans are likely still coming down from the team's momentous victory in Week 5. They traveled across the country to take on the 3-1 Los Angeles Chargers, and a dominant second half led them to a resounding triumph.
Even though he did not quite look like himself, it was great to have Jayden Daniels back in the lineup, as he found success against one of the league's best defenses. He did this despite the landscape having changed since he last played, with Austin Ekeler on injured reserve and Terry McLaurin also nursing a quad problem.
Daniels is still a young player in this league, and the team's losses to the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons proved that they still have a way to go if they want to make a Super Bowl run in 2025. They could start by calling up Dan Quinn's former employer, Pete Carroll, and striking a trade.
Commanders should consider trading for Raiders TE Michael Mayer
Quinn was the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator during the "Legion of Boom" era, a period that saw the franchise reach two Super Bowls, winning one. He obviously coached under Carroll during that stretch, and the two have a longstanding relationship.
With Carroll now in charge of a debilitatingly bad Las Vegas Raiders team, Quinn should use that connection to his advantage. For all their faults, the AFC West club actually has a surplus of great tight ends, and the Commanders should be eyeing backup Michael Mayer.
All-Pro Brock Bowers is the star of the show in Las Vegas, but Mayer is a stud in his own right. His career has been riddled by injuries and plagued by poor quarterback play, but he was a second-rounder out of Notre Dame in 2023 for a reason.
Mayer is a strong athlete who is a lethal pass-catcher when given the opportunity. He is also a willing blocker who will get his hands dirty in the run game or in pass protection. His career statistics of 54 catches for 507 receiving yards and two touchdowns may not stand out, but make no mistake, this is a talented player.
Washington's beatdown of the Raiders sent the franchise into a tailspin, as they are now 1-4 and appear to be major sellers at the trade deadline. Mayer's price shouldn't be more than a sixth-round pick, and he would be a great reclamation project for Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury to take on.
While John Bates and Ben Sinnott are both potent blockers, they've combined for just two catches and 16 receiving yards in 2025. Mayer could provide both an immediate boost to the room as a pass-catcher, but also a long-term No. 1 tight end option with Zach Ertz's swan song always looming.
If Quinn has the opportunity to strike a favorable deal with his old buddy Carroll that nets the team a young and versatile offensive weapon for Daniels, then there's no reason they should not pursue it.