The Washington Commanders only have five selections in the 2025 NFL Draft after a flurry of trade activity. It's a shift in Adam Peters' initial ethos, but one that was necessary after the franchise made bigger strides than anyone expected last season.
Peters knows that time is of the essence. The Commanders need to do everything possible to maximize quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract. With this year's free-agent class not exactly loaded with elite talent, the general manager opted to make big waves in the trade market once again.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil came into the fold. The Commanders secured two instant tone-setters in positions of need. This cemented the team's win-now mindset and obvious intent to surround Daniels with everything needed to thrive.
That makes things more difficult for Peters during the draft, but engineering a trade-down could see another pick or two come his way if the right offer comes along. Bill Barnwell of ESPN thought this could arrive courtesy of the front-office leader's old employers.
Commanders could trade down with the 49ers according to Bill Barnwell
Barnwell doubled down on his belief that the Commanders should trade down from No. 29 overall. In his latest projection, he thought the San Francisco 49ers would be willing to jump the queue for some offensive line help.
They were one of the league's oldest teams a year ago, and after acquiring Laremy Tunsil, Marshon Lattimore and Deebo Samuel Sr., they have just five picks in 2025 and five more in 2026. The 2024 Texans are a good example of how a team seemingly on the rise can stagnate without an annual influx of talent through the draft. I also believe the 49ers should trade down, but with the sixth-most capital of any team, I wouldn't be surprised to see them consolidate some of their picks. If Commanders general manager Adam Peters does negotiate a deal with his old employers, the 49ers could add offensive line help ahead of the Chiefs and Eagles.Bill Barnwell
Peters will play the board accordingly. He moved down during his first draft and got some decent returns from his opening class. Whichever way the Commanders go, fans have complete faith in the process.
It's been a long time since they could say that with any confidence.
One of the big reasons why Peters was so aggressive in the trade market centered on how many needs there were to fill. This stemmed from a constant stream of failed first-round picks during Ron Rivera's four-year tenure, none of which are still with the club. Acting swiftly to find proven performers with glittering credentials helps offset this critical failure.
If a prospect high on Washington's board is there for the taking, the Commanders will take him. If not, then shifting back a few spots for additional draft picks within a deep group wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.
Peters is picking further down the pecking order than most expected. That makes it impossible to get a king's ransom for the No. 29 pick, so analyzing the risk-reward of moving down will be the deciding factor.
It'll be interesting to see how things shake out.
