Commanders: Washington one of three finalists to host 2024 NFL Draft

While the group has a promising ceiling, the Washington Commanders‘ 2021 draft class yielded uninspiring results, so the pressure to have an improved showing in this year’s showcase is tangible.

There’s no need to run through every pick, but it speaks volumes that fourth-rounder John Bates was the clear standout of the class and he started out as a third-stringer behind veterans Logan Thomas and Ricky Seals-Jones.

Slated with the No. 11 overall pick in this year’s draft, Washington is in a great position to add an impact player. Whether it be a quarterback, linebacker, wide receiver or maybe even an interior lineman to replace Brandon Scherff, the Commanders should have their pick of the litter in the first round.

Whatever direction they choose, it can’t be understated that the franchise needs to get better at drafting. Not only will it help Washington sustain long-term success, but it’s possible the city hosts the annual event in a couple years.

According to Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy, Washington is one of three finalists to host the 2024 NFL Draft.

The other cities in contention? Green Bay and Detroit.

Commanders: Washington DC could host the 2024 NFL Draft.

It’s usually not standard for a team executive to break the news, but Murphy, who has ties to Washington, was merely answering a follow-up question as to whether Green Bay was still in consideration to host the 2024 showcase.

The Packers CEO said he expects a decision to come by the end of March. The league’s yearly spring meeting is scheduled for March 27-30, so Washington fans will know soon enough whether DC is hosting or not.

The only thing working in Washington’s favor is that it has never hosted the NFL Draft in the Super Bowl era. You have to go all the way back to 1941 at the Willard Hotel for the last time the city played host for the draft.

Unfortunately for Washington, neither Detroit nor Green Bay has hosted the event, so the sympathy card won’t work here.

However, the Commanders might have a wild card up their sleeve in that they should know the location of their new stadium by 2024. If the team returns to DC, the league would be hard-pressed to find a better host city.

The NFL Draft has become a week-long event and recent host cities, including Cleveland and Nashville, have been a huge success. The 2022 edition, which will get underway April 28 in Las Vegas, which was supposed to host two years ago but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to make it virtually exclusive.

In 2023, the draft will touch down in Kansas City. These are all flagship cities, so you can understand why Washington is in the mix to host in 2024.