Nobody expected the Washington Commanders to be sitting at 3-8 during their bye week. Fans were anticipating this club going deep into the playoffs, but a series of factors has prevented head coach Dan Quinn's squad from meeting those expectations.
Injuries have decimated the roster. Adam Peters running it back with the large majority of last season's squad hasn't paid off. The NFL's oldest roster has looked precisely that, and opposing teams have no trouble exploiting their weaknesses.
There are still six games to navigate after the bye, but fans have already turned their attention to the offseason. It is a pivotal one for Peters, and he must get the tough decisions right in pursuit of turning the Commanders' fortunes around.
Washington could have over $100 million in available salary-cap space if the necessary sacrifices are made. Peters only has six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to utilize, with just two of those coming in the opening four rounds.
Not exactly ideal, so Peters has a lot of hard work ahead. With this in mind, we took a look at how the Commanders could approach their selections, using the Pro Football Network simulator, in our bye week 2026 mock draft.
Commanders 7-round 2026 NFL mock draft at the bye week
Commanders draft Caleb Downs
Safety | Ohio State Buckeyes
Round No. 1 | Pick No. 7
Ideally, the Washington Commanders will trade back for more picks here, or a game-changing player on the front seven, such as Arvell Reese or Rueben Bain Jr., will be available. If neither materializes, general manager Adam Peters could do far worse than examine Caleb Downs' credentials in greater detail.
Although positional value dictates that safeties don't tend to be taken this high, Downs could be an exception. He's a generational talent in a similar mold to Kyle Hamilton, who took the league by storm with the Baltimore Ravens. This is also a grave need for the Commanders, especially considering the alarming regression of Quan Martin in Year 3 of his professional career.
Downs is a legitimate three-down game-changer. He's exceptional in the box against the run. He's instinctive in coverage with a high football IQ and elite athleticism. Whether it was with Georgia or Ohio State, the defensive back has excelled. Adding him to head coach Dan Quinn's scheme looks like a match made in heaven.
The Commanders need help everywhere. If Downs is still available at No. 7 overall, he'd be the best prospect available.