The Washington Commanders had a great 2024 season but a bummer 2025 campaign.
To make 2026 and beyond brighter, the looming NFL Draft could be key.
With that in mind, ESPN's Bill Barnwell has an idea. In a new mock draft released Monday, he suggests that the Commanders should look to trade down.
He sees the Baltimore Ravens as a logical partner, and in a way that would get the Commanders four picks just for one of their own.
The idea would send Washington's No. 7 overall pick to Baltimore. In return, the Commanders would get picks 14, 80 and 154 this year, along with a 2027 third-round pick.
It certainly seems like the kind of asset accumulation that can help long term.
"I've already talked about a potential trade up for the Commanders if they're infatuated with (Jeremiyah) Love, but a trade down would be the more logical decision for Peters," Barnwell writes. "The Commanders were the league's oldest team on a snap-weighted basis in 2025. They made just five picks a year ago, and only two of those were top-125 selections. Dan Quinn's team also doesn't have its second- and fourth-round picks in this year's draft because of the Laremy Tunsil trade. There might not be a huge demand to move up in this year's draft, but if one of those aforementioned defensive standouts remains available at No. 7, I wonder if the Ravens might come calling."
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Barnwell goes on to write about the Ravens' failed pursuit of Maxx Crosby that would've cost them a pair of first-round picks. It said to Barnwell that Baltimore is aggressively pursuing defensive upgrades.
They may be able to find such an impactful kind of player at the seventh spot that may not make it to 14.
If that means the Commanders can add a few more picks and not move down too far, it would likely be something worth considering.
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