NFL analyst touts outrageous Commanders trade for elite offensive weapon

Adam Peters is gearing up for another pivotal offseason. The Washington Commanders are still firmly in the playoff race as the seventh seed. That won't stop the general manager from making plans and implementing changes in pursuit of taking the franchise further.

Peters is armed with an abundance of salary-cap space — close to $100 million with 31 players under contract. The Commanders also boast seven selections in the 2025 NFL Draft despite sacrificing assets to acquire Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore via trade from the New Orleans Saints.

This was Peters' boldest move to date. He was methodical in his roster regeneration throughout his first recruitment period at the helm. As the Commanders were ahead of schedule and with the playoffs in sight, the front-office leader responded with a more aggressive approach.

Whether this is the start of an ongoing trend remains to be seen. Peters will strike when opportunities arise. He'll also keep the bigger picture in mind as part of his long-term plans for sustained growth.

One NFL analyst touted the possibility of throwing this ethos out of the window and mortgaging Washington's future for one of the league's most dynamic playmakers.

Commanders named as intriguing suitor for Ja'Marr Chase

Matt Verderame from Sports Illustrated implored the Cincinnati Bengals to seriously consider the prospect of trading stud wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who is looking for a new contract. The analyst felt this was the best way to stabilize their roster overall and maintain flexibility. He also named the Commanders as an intriguing landing spot for the former first-round pick.

"By moving off [Ja'Marr] Chase, the Bengals could acquire enough future cap space and draft picks to transform a roster riddled with issues. Cincinnati would undoubtedly spark a bidding war by putting Chase on the block, driving up what many in league circles say would already be a historic price. Looking around the NFL, there are a few teams I believe make the most sense. The New England Patriots and Washington Commanders are both intriguing, as each has extra draft picks, ample cap space and a rookie quarterback who needs more skill-position talent to reach his full potential."

- Matt Verderame, SI

Verderame also speculated what it might cost to acquire the LSU product. As expected, it wouldn't be peanuts.

Bengals receive:

• 1st round pick (2025)
• 2nd round pick (2025)
• 5th round pick (2025)
• 1st round pick (2026)
• 3rd round pick (2026)

Commanders receive:

• Ja'Marr Chase

This is an exceptional amount to give up. Chase is one of the genuine elite talents around the NFL, but this would be an outrageous move from Peters that doesn't seem in keeping with his overall ethos.

Not only would the Commanders be giving up whopping capital that jeopardizes their chances to build a competitive roster. There's also Chase's financial situation to factor into the equation.

The wideout is looking for a new deal and wants to break the record currently held by his ex-LSU teammate Justin Jefferson. The Bengals have a tough decision to make and not a lot of time to work something out before things get more complicated.

According to Spotrac, Chase is projected to command an average salary of $31.6 million on a four-year, $126.39 million deal. That might be on the conservative side looking at the player's form this season.

The Commanders need to maximize quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract. They have enough spare cash to pay Chase. Even so, Peters could deem this a step too far even if the Bengals became receptive to offers. That seems highly unlikely.

A pairing of Chase and Terry McLaurin would be almost unstoppable. But this looks like a hypothetical pipedream rather than anything with substance attached.

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