The Washington Commanders addressed a variety of needs in free agency. But there is still a lot of hard work ahead for general manager Adam Peters.
They re-signed linebacker Bobby Wagner and brought in defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw for interior help after releasing Jonathan Allen. The Commanders added Jonathan Jones and Will Harris to the defensive backfield. Peters traded for Laremy Tunsil to beef up the offensive line, and got Deebo Samuel Sr. to fill their glaring No. 2 wide receiver hole.
One position they didn't address is the offensive backfield. That is arguably the biggest overlooked need remaining.
Commandeers must address their running back room early in the 2025 NFL Draft
With free agency coming to a close and Washington having a room consisting of Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and the re-signed Jeremy McNichols, this now serves as among the Commanders' most pressing priorities entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
The running back position has become one of the most polarizing in football over recent years. Many teams have downplayed the value of an elite weapon. In some cases, they outright neglected signing or retaining them.
Last year, that narrative experienced a major shift when the Philadelphia Eagles' signing of Saquon Barkley was arguably the biggest reason they leaped from playoff hopefuls into Super Bowl champions.
It wasn't just the Eagles, either.
The Baltimore Ravens acquired Derrick Henry, deemed to be ancient by running back standards, only for him to have one of the best seasons of his career while considerably freeing up quarterback Lamar Jackson's ability as a passer. The Detroit Lions bludgeoned opponents on the ground all year with their one-two punch of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, going 15-2 during the regular season before Washington upset them in the divisional round.
As the draft approaches, the Commanders need to consider the value of what a fresh, young star running back could bring to their team.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels, like Jackson and Jalen Hurts, is a mobile athlete who could hugely benefit from defenses being forced to stack the box against a dangerous ground threat. While Robinson and Ekeler are both solid players, they are not Barkley, Henry, or even Gibbs.
This year's draft class happens to be a strong one for the running back position. Boise State's Ashton Jeanty isn't going to be available for Washington at pick No. 29, but there's a chance Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson could be.
If not, then Arizona State's Cam Skattebo is an intriguing prospect who could be a Christian McCaffrey-esque all-around weapon in the NFL. North Carolina's Omarion Hampton and Iowa's Kaleb Johnson are among others with potential superstar talent.
Simply put, it's time for the Commanders to use their first-round pick on the future of their running back room.
Both Robinson and Ekeler are in contract years this season. A trade shouldn't be ruled out for one of them — more likely Robinson — to make room for someone with greater upside.
If the Commanders are going to legitimately compete for a Super Bowl, they need a backfield threat who strikes fear into opposing defenses.
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