4 players the Commanders could have drafted instead of Chase Young
By Dean Jones
Commanders could have drafted Justin Herbert
The Washington Commanders have been starved of a franchise quarterback for decades. There have been some who’ve shone briefly, but none emerged as that presence capable of leading the franchise into legitimate Super Bowl contention.
Washington was in a prime spot to land a quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft. They had Alex Smith as a veteran bridge and Dwayne Haskins was still around, but that shouldn’t have mattered from No. 2 overall in the draft.
Those in power decided to ride it out with Haskins and take Chase Young. Just a few short picks later, the Los Angeles Chargers selected Justin Herbert, who was a potential No. 1 pick before a disappointing final college campaign at Oregon.
Herbert had all the intangibles needed to make a success of his pro career. The Chargers were a high-octane offense that played to the signal-caller’s strengths, which ensured a smooth transition en route to silencing his doubters wrong.
There is still some hard work ahead for Herbert, but he’s been exactly what the Chargers hoped. Meanwhile, the Commanders continued on their quarterback carousel that now has Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett fighting it out for the starting job in 2023.