4 easiest decisions for Commanders before free agency frenzy
By Jerry Trotta
2. Don’t Invest Heavily in a Free Agent WR
There’s been some talk about Washington potentially making another major investment at wide receiver. While we’d love nothing more than to pursue one of Allen Robinson, JuJu Smitch-Schuster or another free agent, it’s simply wishful thinking after the team absorbed Carson Wentz’s contract.
Wentz’s cap hit for 2022 is a hefty $28 million, so that all but takes the Commanders out of the running for a big-ticket receiver. Not an ideal situation given the team’s current outlook at the position, but the incoming pool of receivers in the 2022 draft gives the front office a needed get out of jail free card.
Whether Washington elects to trade back or remain put at No. 11 overall, they must come out of the first round with a new receiver. Given Wentz has thrived throwing to bigger-bodied receivers in his career, Drake London and his 6-foot-3, 219-pound stature makes him a perfect fit with the newly-acquired QB.
Like Diggs, London is recovering from a lower leg injury, so he didn’t participate at the 2022 Combine. While a number of receivers showed out in Indianapolis, the USC product is still widely consider the top WR in this year’s class.
If the Commanders trade back and London is off the board, we’d be fine with one of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave or Jameson Williams as a consolation prize — or even waiting until Round 2 for Christian Watson if all else fails.
The bottom line is we’d much rather spend big on a linebacker than a wideout in free agency, which brings us to our next point.