4 major gambles the Commanders cannot afford in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
What major gambles would the Washington Commanders be wise to ignore during a pivotal 2023 NFL Draft for the franchise?
With a new ownership group set to replace Dan Snyder in the coming weeks, the pressure has intensified dramatically on those in power within the Washington Commanders. If things don’t go better than expected next season, it could be the last for many holding positions of power currently.
That’s why this is arguably the most important NFL Draft since the Commanders made their daring trade-up for Robert Griffin III in 2012. Washington has eight picks at their disposal, which can be used to find instant difference-makers and solidify depth at problem position groups along the way.
Ron Rivera‘s been around the block a few times, so he knows the potential repercussions if the Commanders cannot nail this draft. The head coach with the final say on personnel is keen not to deviate from his long-term plan, which is unlikely to change despite the added sense of urgency entering the fray once the sale receives league approval.
On this topic, we picked out four major gambles the Commanders cannot afford to make during the 2023 NFL Draft.
Major Gamble No. 1
Commanders can’t gamble on a TE at No. 16
There are a few mock drafts floating around that have the Washington Commanders taking a tight end at No. 16 overall. Simply put, this would be a big mistake.
This is one of the deepest draft classes at the position in recent memory. Utilizing their opening selection on it would be unwise no matter how good someone like Dalton Kincaid could be within Eric Bieniemy’s creative offensive system.
Washington also has two promising young players in Armani Rogers and Cole Turner capable of further improvement. Adding one at some stage might be an option depending on how the draft board plays out is an option – especially considering there could be a dozen that eventually become productive pros – but gambling at No. 16 when there are significant needs elsewhere would be foolish.