Commanders News: Chase Young’s option, Jeff Bezos and roster building
By Dean Jones
This week has brought some intriguing news stories surrounding the Washington Commanders. There is a primary focus on the 2023 NFL Draft and which prospects could strengthen the franchise’s chances of playoff football, but other important landmarks and outcomes are also on the immediate horizon and cannot be overlooked.
Among the topics making headlines over the last 24 hours include Chase Young’s fifth-year option, a lucky pick for the Commanders at No. 16 overall, Jeff Bezos’ reported interest in buying the team, and Ron Rivera clarifying comments regarding roster building ahead of the new campaign.
Let’s delve deeper into each topic and its potential ramifications.
Commanders land franchise OT in NFL.com mock draft
There are multiple ways the Washington Commanders can go at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Most projections center on the offensive line or a potential shutdown cornerback, with the odd wildcard such as Bijan Robinson or Nolan Smith also bringing a high level of intrigue before the big weekend.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com‘s latest mock draft provided the Commanders with an opportunity they’d find difficult to pass up. This came in the form of Paris Johnson Jr., who is arguably the best tackle prospect emerging from the college ranks in 2023.
"“The Commanders can use Johnson at either tackle position or guard early on, but he’s ultimately going to be drafted to hold down the left tackle spot in the future.”"
Washington needs to get extremely lucky for Johnson to slide this far down the pecking order. If the one-time Ohio State stud is there for the taking, the Commanders shouldn’t hesitate despite the presence of Charles Leno Jr. and Andrew Wylie as their expected tackle tandem.