Draft rooms are supposed to be aligned. Scouts grind tape, coaches map schemes, and front offices connect the dots. However, in the Washington Commanders, that harmony clearly did not always exist. Years later, the truth is slipping out, and it is kind of messy, blunt, and impossible to ignore.
When former head coach Jay Gruden talks, he is not sugarcoating anything. His latest disclosure pulls back the curtain on a 2016 draft decision that never sat right with him and, looking back, may explain much of how things unraveled.
Nov 8, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Jay Gruden watches from the sidelines during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Speaking on a podcast on March 27, 2026, the former Commanders head coach made it crystal clear that he was never on board with drafting Su’a Cravens in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Gruden did not question the talent. He questioned the fit, and in the NFL, that is everything.
> “Su’a Cravens was one, we had a lot of different opinions on. I didn’t want the guy at all, you know, just because he didn’t fit. He wasn’t a safety, he played outside LB. We didn’t, you know, he’s too little, not because he wasn’t a good kid or a good player, just there’s nowhere to put him.”
https://twitter.com/SuaKCravens/status/1773010000000000000
That statement hits hard because it exposes a core issue, positional confusion. Cravens entered the league as a hybrid defender, thriving as an outside linebacker at USC. However, the Commanders tried to mold him into a safety. That mismatch, according to Gruden, created a problem since Day 1.
It was not just about the playbook; it was about structure, or the lack of it. Gruden’s comments echo long-standing concerns about internal friction during his tenure from 2014 to 2019. The draft process, he suggests, was often beyond the coaching staff’s control.
In fact, in a previously reported interview with the Commanders’ Post, Gruden pointed directly at former owner Daniel Snyder for interfering in key decisions.
> “\[He\] would come in off his yacht and make the pick.” (Via CBS Sports)
That line alone tells you everything about the power dynamics. Coaches could evaluate, plan, and strategize; however, final calls did not always follow that process.
Cravens’ career in the Commanders reflects the fallout. Drafted 53rd overall in 2016, he flashed potential early. However, injuries, including a serious vision issue, disrupted his path. Then came a shocking moment on September 3, 2017, when he briefly stepped away from football, signaling early retirement before eventually returning.
It never stabilized. Neither his role, his development, nor the team’s direction. Meanwhile, the 59-year-old tenure followed a similar arc. A 35-49-1 record, one playoff appearance, and a steady decline that ended with his firing in 2019. Talent was not always the issue however, it was alignment.
Fast forward to now, and the Commander completely looks different. With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels emerging as a leader, praised by Gruden himself for his pocket presence and poise, the franchise appears to be finding the stability that eluded it for years.