Commanders' fairytale trade could become reality if AFC team keeps losing

The Washington Commanders are the toast of the NFC after seven games. Supremely talented quarterback Jayden Daniels looks like a franchise player and the Dan Quinn/Kliff Kingsbury coaching partnership appears to have helped their offense take off.

Defensively, this team remains inconsistent. Domination against the Carolina Panthers notwithstanding, Washington ranks near the bottom of the league in several key defensive categories. There are multiple reasons for this performance, chief among them being a poor secondary.

The lack of development from Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and the shift from Ron Rivera’s scheme to Quinn’s had made it rough on a young unit. General manager Adam Peters may need to explore trades for defensive upgrades in the next few weeks, be they more muted improvements or high-end acquisitions.

PFF suggests Commanders trade for Browns CB Denzel Ward

The Commanders were featured in one of Pro Football Focus’ “fairytale trades” as the 2024 deadline creeps closer. With the Cleveland Browns, already slated for a lost season before the veteran Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles, falling further down the NFL hierarchy, PFF's Bradley Locker believes Washington should consider making a call for Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward.

Greg Newsome II is also mentioned as a cheaper alternative.

"Despite starting 5-2, the Commanders are in desperate need of defensive — and secondary — help. The team ranks 28th in team coverage grade and 26th in EPA per play. Not one Washington corner has notched an overall grade above 64.8 this year, nor a coverage grade above 66.5. If Washington wants to make a serious push in Dan Quinn’s first year, giving Cleveland a call about Ward (or Greg Newsome II) doesn’t seem far-fetched."

- Bradley Locker, Pro Football Focus

While Ward hasn't been as dominant this year as he was in 2023, the 27-year-old has three Pro Bowls in six seasons to his name. He remains arguably the best-tackling cornerback in the AFC. Cleveland is still a very tough defense to throw on, and the former No. 4 overall pick out of Ohio State is a big reason why.

The Browns are in sell mode after trading Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills. Peters has a solid stockpile of picks they can deplete to acquire Ward. Why try to roll the dice in the NFL Draft again when a player who is a perfect fit for what Quinn wants to do schematically in his prime could be available?

Cleveland won't give Ward away. The price will be steep. While the Commanders are winning right now, they need to be concerned about dipping too far into their pool of selections and sabotaging Daniels' rookie deal. However, this is the type of player who is more than worth surrendering those types of picks.

Ward is the type of cornerback who can provide stability and quality to a defense in need of both. The Commanders won't be afforded the luxury of playing the lowly Panthers every week, especially if the playoffs are a reality.

More Commanders news and analysis