4 Commanders players we can safely call busts after the 2023 season
By Dean Jones
Which Washington Commanders players can we safely call draft busts after another torrid campaign for the franchise in 2023?
New general manager Adam Peters made no secret of his desire to build through the draft and supplement his roster needs in free agency. This is welcome news for Washington Commanders fans considering the team's suspect choices from the college ranks in recent years.
There have been a few hits. Some are currently thriving in Washington after adjusting incredibly well to professional standards. Unfortunately, others haven't lived up to their respective billings.
What constitutes a draft bust? In my opinion, it's a prospect taken in the first 120 picks who didn't make a good enough contribution. Others might have a different perception, even if the result is still the same.
With this in mind, here are four Commanders players we can safely call busts after the 2023 season.
Braeden Daniels - Commanders OL
This sounds harsh after one year. However, there's a good chance Braeden Daniels wouldn't have made the 53-man roster had it not been for a season-ending injury.
The Washington Commanders took Daniels at No. 118 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Like most of Ron Rivera's selections along the offensive line, he was a college tackle projected to be more suited to the interior upon arriving at the next level.
Daniels struggled to find his feet throughout the offseason. He was consistently overwhelmed during practices and looked a little lost. Perhaps a coaching change will bring more out of the player once he returns from injury. But after a rocky start to his NFL journey, nobody could say that with any guarantees attached.