3 rival picks that would be bad news for Commanders in 2022 NFL Draft
By Jerry Trotta
The NFL Draft is just days away and gives the Washington Commanders a prime opportunity to fill the remaining holes on their roster.
Though nobody would deny the team’s talent, it has a few deficiencies that must be addressed if they have any hope of returning to the playoffs. Playing a weak schedule in a less-than stellar division, the table is set for Ron Rivera’s side.
While Washington’s own selections will hold the greatest weight in terms of their future, they’ll also feel the effects of other teams’ picks. Whether it be teams that are slated to pick a few spots ahead of them, a team that leapfrogs them via trade or one of their rivals, there’s always a domino effect.
For the sake of time, let’s focus on the Commanders’ rivals.
With the Giants and Eagles both equipped with multiple first-round picks, let’s speculate some selections that would spell bad news for Washington. We’ll include Dallas, too, though they don’t boast a scary quantity of capital.
3 rival picks that would be bad news for Commanders
3. Cowboys Draft Amari Cooper’s Replacement
Like Washington, the Cowboys could go a number of different directions with their first-round pick. At No. 24 overall, Dallas’ plans will hinge on what teams ahead of them do, assuming they don’t trade up.
A true worse-case scenario for the Commanders would be if one of the stud pass rushers fell to the Cowboys. Pairing one of them with Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence would be terrifying, but let’s keep things realistic.
The most likely outcome or Dallas in the first round is drafting an offensive linemen or receiver. They’ve been most heavily linked with Zion Johnson and Kenyon Green, both of whom have the versatility to play multiple positions.
It’s scary thinking about the Cowboys restocking their OL, but let’s be honest. Is an interior linemen really going to scare anyone? Not really. Zack Martin’s a generational talent, but Tyron Smith gets all the plaudits since he’s a left tackle.
With that in mind, Dallas getting its hands on Treylon Burks would be terrible news for Washington. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Burks has the prototypical size to fill X receiver void left by Amari Cooper, but he can also be effective in the slot and has experience as a gadget WR fielding snaps in the backfield.
For a prospect who’s drawn comparisons to AJ Brown and Deebo Samuel, we really don’t need Burks getting drafted by Dallas. Heck, if Washington traded down far enough we’d be open to them drafting the Arkansas wideout.