Commanders draft Bryce Foster
- Offensive Line | Kansas Jayhawks
- Round No. 6 | Pick No. 186
If Chris Paul is re-signed by the Washington Commanders this offseason, all of their starting five offensive linemen will return for the 2026 campaign. That is the biggest boost imaginable, but there are still concerns about the team's depth this offseason.
Andrew Wylie, George Fant, Trent Scott, and Lucas Niang are free agents. Nick Allegretti looks like a salary-cap cut candidate, although the Commanders have enough cash to absorb his contract if they decide his versatility is worth having as a backup role. Either way, more is required, and Washington should consider bolstering its depth chart with development projects later in the draft.
Bryce Foster might not be the finished article, but he's a plus-center with high upside. With Tyler Biadasz entering the final year of his deal, the Kansas product represents a solid contingency plan who could develop into a productive starter.
Commanders draft Riley Mahlman
- Offensive Tackle | Wisconsin Badgers
- Round No. 6 | Pick No. 199
Trading for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and drafting Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 29 overall gives the Commanders a bookend edge protection tandem for the first time in years. This stability will be integral for new offensive coordinator David Blough, but finding a capable backup with the scope to also be a starter over time is always worth contemplating.
No team should ever settle where offensive line depth is concerned, certainly not a team with so many pending free agents. Even though Riley Mahlman did not get an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, he's an imposing physical force with significant starting experience at the college level. And the ceiling is through the roof if additional growth arrives.
Mahlman is a fast-footed mover with a 6-foot-8 wingspan capable of creating leverage effortlessly. There are some technical refinements needed, and the prospect needs to improve as a run blocker, but he'd get time to develop in Washington.
Commanders draft Dan Villari
- Tight End | Syracuse Orange
- Round No. 6 | Pick No. 208
Adding to the tight end room should be a bigger priority for the Commanders than a sixth-round pick, in all honesty. But even if general manager Adam Peters spends on a veteran piece in free agency, creating more competition in the room wouldn't be a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination.
Zach Ertz's successful stint with the franchise is probably over. John Bates is the blocking specialist, but David Blough's assessment of Ben Sinnott indicates additional reinforcements are coming. Dan Villari is quickly becoming an intriguing sleeper in the draft, and his ability as a pass-catcher is something that warrants a closer look during Washington's pre-draft assessments.
The Syracuse product is a major threat after the catch. Villari has the versatility to line up almost anywhere, even in the backfield in short-yardage situations. If he adds to his route tree in the pros, he's got potential steal written all over him.