The Washington Commanders have one major need on their roster entering NFL Draft week, and that of course is at the quarterback position.
So while we sit down to identify the four biggest needs for the Commanders to address this weekend, we’re going to skip over that one to get four groups that are not talked about nearly as much these days.
And we’re starting with the biggest need for new head coach Dan Quinn and his Washington squad, an offensive tackle.
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine.
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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
NEED NO. 1 – OFFENSIVE TACKLE
They’re not the sexiest picks ever but if you get them right your quarterback will look the part plenty for both of them.
Tackles and quarterbacks are connected directly because if one doesn’t do his job efficiently on a given snap the results could be disastrous.
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For the Commanders this means looking at the duo of left tackle Cornelius Lucas and right tackle Andrew Wylie and realizing there’s at worst a need to find a longterm option at each position.
The bigger need here appears to be at left tackle and even if Lucas is starting next season it needs to be because he beat out a relatively high draft pick to do it.
NEED NO. 2 – GUARD
So we’re not traveling very far for this one, and even though Washington did some solid work bringing in Nick Allegretti from the champion Kansas City Chiefs, he said himself he came here for an opportunity to win a starting job.
You can’t win something that isn’t fought over and while Chris Paul might provide Allegretti a solid fight by himself this new Commanders leadership group would be wise to look out for another potential combatant to add to the mix on Day 2 or 3.
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NEED NO. 3 – CORNERBACK
Benjamin St-Juste appeared to take a step backwards last year, either due to injury or drop in coaching ability around him, and rookie Emmanuel Forbes looked lost for much of his rookie season.
Again, the same ailments that impacted St-Juste may have very well impacted Forbes, but the bottom line is neither looked the part of reliable shutdown corner in 2023 and that fact leaves the door open for a new addition to the room, possibly coming in the top 100 picks.
NEED NO. 4 – PASS RUSHER
Something tells us the term edge will apply to both defensive ends and outside linebacker types this year in Washington.
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Certainly the same player might be doing a little of both, but there’s a real possibility this team employs each type of player for the job of rushing opposing quarterbacks off the edge this season.
Honestly, the Commanders are in a position where any group they don’t address with a draft pick will be pointed at as a potential flaw, but it’s unlikely every group gets added to via draft pick.
And just because a need exists, if the right talent isn’t there to match it, there may not be a selection made.
Washington has done a good job of giving itself the chance to be as flexible as possible in this year’s NFL Draft, but some things remain in need of addressing, and these four group should be at the top of the list if the right player presents himself at the right selection.
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Competition creates two things: Winners and losers. Typically, those results are temporary, and when it comes to the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles this season, both sides experienced each fate going 1-1 in their two matchups against each other.
In fact, both teams held the fourth-quarter leads in each one, with the Commanders taking the lead into the final stretch in the first game and the Eagles doing the same in the second.
Both teams failed to stave off the other’s comeback as well, leading most to believe Washington and Philadelphia will probably compete in a close matchup this weekend. But not if you ask former Eagles linebacker Seth Joyner.
Dec 22, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) celebrates after scoring the gaming winning touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images
“By the way, they don’t stand a snowballs chance in hell in winning here on Sunday. You know that right?” while making a guest appearance on the WIP Morning Show on Sportsradio 94WIP recently. “Make sure you take that, and you play that all damn week, alright?”
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But before any Commanders fans get mad at Joyner for the outlandish comment, remember you’re talking to a wounded person.
Granted, Joyner was selected to two Pro Bowls in his eight seasons with Philadelphia, but before he left for the Arizona Cardinals, then the Green Bay Packers, and finally the Denver Broncos, the linebacker had to wear the loser tag more times than not.
At least when it came to Washington, and especially when it came to the biggest moments in the sport.
You see, in his day, the Eagles actually beat Washington more times than not. But where it mattered most, in the postseason, Joyner’s squads just never measured up.
Having to watch from home as Washington added two Super Bowl titles to the one it already had from just a couple of seasons before he joined the NFL was painful enough. Going one-and-done in the postseason himself in 1988, 89, and 90 is worse. Losing that 1990 playoff game to Washington, well, you can imagine the bitterness that can be born from that type of jealousy.
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Even when Joyner’s Eagles finally won a playoff game in 1993, they immediately fell to the hated Dallas Cowboys, who eventually won the Super Bowl.
You might say Joyner was a good luck charm for the rest of the division, in fact. During his eight seasons in Philadelphia, the NFC East won five Super Bowls – two for Washington, two for the New York Giants, and one for the Dallas Cowboys. None for the Eagles.
Even when Joyner left Philadelphia to play for the Cardinals, the blessings for the rest of the division continued. He spent 1994, 95, and 96 in Arizona, and the Cowboys won two more titles. Really, the hayday of the NFC East is all tied to Joyner’s presence in it, if you think about it.
Seeking a ring of his own, Joyner latched on in Green Bay and lost in the Super Bowl. So he joined the Broncos, the same team that beat his Packers, and contributed five tackles to the team that figured out how to break the ‘Joyner curse,’ just don’t play him.
Really, Commanders fans shouldn’t be upset with Joyner. Nor should the players or coaches. While he lives vicariously through this Eagles roster, just remember all of the times he had to watch burgundy and gold-clad players celebrate while he struggled to get just one postseason win in Kelly green.
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Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.
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Iowa Hawkeyes (12-7, 2-6 Big Ten) at Washington Huskies (13-6, 4-3 Big Ten)
Seattle; Wednesday, 9 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: Washington hosts Iowa after Sayvia Sellers scored 24 points in Washington’s 87-58 victory against the Purdue Boilermakers.
The Huskies are 10-2 on their home court. Washington ranks ninth in the Big Ten in rebounding with 34.8 rebounds. Dalayah Daniels paces the Huskies with 7.4 boards.
The Hawkeyes are 2-6 in Big Ten play. Iowa ranks ninth in the Big Ten scoring 35.1 points per game in the paint led by Addison O’Grady averaging 8.0.
Washington’s average of 7.8 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.5 fewer made shots on average than the 8.3 per game Iowa gives up. Iowa has shot at a 45.8% rate from the field this season, 6.9 percentage points greater than the 38.9% shooting opponents of Washington have averaged.
The Huskies and Hawkeyes square off Wednesday for the first time in Big Ten play this season.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Sellers is averaging 16.8 points, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals for the Huskies.
Taylor McCabe is shooting 44.9% from beyond the arc with 2.1 made 3-pointers per game for the Hawkeyes, while averaging 7.1 points.
LAST 10 GAMES: Huskies: 6-4, averaging 73.1 points, 30.7 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.8 points per game.
Hawkeyes: 4-6, averaging 72.0 points, 36.5 rebounds, 18.1 assists, 7.5 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.1 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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