The Washington Commanders were playing a waiting game before going on the clock at No. 7 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Adam Peters didn't have any disposable assets to move up, but when running back Jeremiyah Love and wide receiver Carnell Tate both went in the top four picks, the landscape changed dramatically.
In the end, linebacker Sonny Styles fell into their laps, and Peters was never going to waste this opportunity. However, speculation linking the Commanders to cornerback Mansoor Delane abruptly ended when the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to No. 6 to acquire him.
And based on Delane's veiled swipe at Peters during his introductory press conference, the former LSU standout clearly thought that he was potentially bound for Washington, too.
It sure sounds like Mansoor Delane thought he was going to the Commanders
Delane expressed his opinion directly to Peters, saying that he had been caught sleeping as Kansas City jumped the queue. And he's happy they did.
"Mr. Peters, you were a little too late, and I'm glad they came up to get a dawg."
While Delane may have thought the Commanders were hot on his heels, nobody got more praise from Peters and head coach Dan Quinn throughout the pre-draft process than Styles. And the fact that Washington didn't draft a cornerback with any of their remaining five picks should tell fans all they need to know.
Delane is a great player; there's no getting away from that. The Commanders were higher on Styles, so the Chiefs going up for the defensive back was probably welcomed by those in Washington's draft room. It made the last remaining obstacle standing between them and the Ohio State linebacker void, and Peters didn't take long to turn in his card.
Nobody has the first clue about whether the Commanders had an interest in Delane. They brought him for a pre-draft visit, and most experts perceived the corner spot to be among their most pressing priorities. Peters had other ideas, finding an athletic linchpin for Daronte Jones' defense instead. And if Styles hits the ground running, Washington is going to have a 10-plus-year starter with Pro Bowl or better upside.
Delane may have an extra sense of motivation when he lines up against the Commanders. It might be self-generated motivation, but every little helps. But from Washington's perspective, Peters won't care all that much.
Styles was their guy. If Delane was, they'd have moved up to get him. But they didn't.
It's that simple, really.
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