What first-round mistakes continue to haunt the Washington Commanders as they look for better fortunes under general manager Adam Peters?
The Washington Commanders are not one of the NFL's worst teams by accident. It's been a constant stream of personnel failures through free agency and the draft. Some hits arrived in recent years, but their suspect moves have prevented the franchise from laying the right foundations for sustained contention.
Hopefully, this is something that can change under new general manager Adam Peters. The respected front-office figure has achieved success wherever he's gone. Considering the resources available - both financial and in terms of draft capital - hopes are high for a quicker-than-expected turnaround for this once-proud organization.
While everyone is looking forward with a sense of optimism, one cannot help but look bad at the errors made previously. Some still have a lingering effect on the Commanders. It's also a predicament Peters is looking to avoid at all costs.
With this in mind, here are four first-round mistakes that continue to haunt the Commanders.
Commanders ignored Christian Gonzalez
We won't spend much time on this because there is still time for Emmanuel Forbes to turn things around. It was a rookie campaign to forget for the cornerback, who wasn't ready for the responsibilities given to him by those in power. The Washington Commanders expected him to be a shutdown presence right out of the gate. Unfortunately, the reality couldn't have been further from the truth.
Forbes struggled against No. 1 wideouts. He was overwhelmed physically - a major concern during his pre-draft evaluations. The coaching staff deserve their fair share of blame, but there is a lot of hard work ahead for the Mississippi State ballhawk.
The Commanders were so steadfast in their belief of Forbes, that they completely overlooked what was unfolding in front of them. Christian Gonzalez was projected to be a top-10 or even top-five pick before falling drastically. Washington stayed on its intended course and Bill Belichick took the Oregon product with the next selection.
Gonzalez looked far more accomplished before his campaign was cruelly cut short by injury. Writing Forbes off so soon into his career would be foolish, but any further struggles would see him enter the dreaded draft bust category this time next year.
Commanders overlooked Christian Darrisaw
One of Ron Rivera's biggest failings during his tenure was an inability to maintain offensive line consistency. He inherited a pretty decent line all things considered. It quickly disintegrated into one of the league's worst units.
Sam Howell becoming the NFL's most-sacked quarterback was a damning indictment of the lack of priority and failed acquisitions under Rivera's watch. The Commanders boast enough resources to turn this around with Adam Peters leading the charge. Unfortunately, that might not matter much to the team's current starting quarterback if those in power seek an alternative option under center as expected.
Had Rivera taken a closer look at Christian Darrisaw in the 2021 NFL Draft, it would have been a different story. The Commanders were desperately seeking a premier blindside edge protector after trading Trent Williams to the San Francisco 49ers. Rivera had the perfect chance to select a long-term option via the draft. He opted for a band-aid fix to his detriment.
The Commanders picked linebacker Jamin Davis instead. He's not had the desired impact despite being solid enough. Looking at how Darrisaw flourished with the Minnesota Vikings, this was a grave error in judgment.
Darrisaw is one of the league's best young left tackles. His impact was immediate, displaying exceptional technical prowess in pass protection and also boasting the core strength needed to assist on running downs for good measure. Something the Commanders have sorely lacked since Williams departed.
Commanders reached for Dwayne Haskins
Dan Snyder's meddling in football affairs was notorious. He'd often shell out megabucks for veteran free agents who weren't worthy of such a financial commitment. His influence during the draft also brought about complete failings more often than not.
One of the most infamous Snyder fumbles centered on Dwayne Haskins. The Ohio State prospect was a polarizing figure coming out. Some analysts had him as their top quarterback. Others had him off their boards or out of the first round entirely.
Most within the organization felt going down a different route would be beneficial. Snyder had other ideas. He threw his weight around and utilized his absolute power, resulting in Haskins being the pick at No. 7 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
It didn't take long to realize this was going to be an unmitigated disaster. Haskins struggled mightily as a rookie. He couldn't generate any positive momentum whatsoever. The Commanders had seen enough by Year 2, releasing the signal-caller with little fanfare attached.
Haskins' tale had a tragic ending when he sadly lost his life aged 24. Things didn't work out in Washington, but he was loved and revered as a teammate. It wasn't his fault this ended up being his destination. That was all on Snyder.
Looking at the players taken after Haskins, they would have helped more. The Commanders also had two first-round picks that year. Something that could have enabled a move up the pecking order for someone like Josh Allen. That would have significantly altered this franchise's course.
Commanders didn't take a franchise QB in 2020
Ron Rivera had the chance to lay down a marker during his first draft in 2020. We've already spoken about Dwayne Haskins' failed rookie campaign the previous year. The Washington Commanders had the No. 2 overall selection as a result.
This put them in a prime position to potentially take another promising signal-caller from the college ranks. Joe Burrow was the consensus first choice after a record-breaking final season at LSU. But there was another potential generational talent who entered the discussion.
Chase Young was seen as the next great NFL defensive end. He had all the makings of being a perennial All-Pro following a dominant college career at Ohio State. The Commanders took Montez Sweat with their second first-round pick in 2019. Despite this, Rivera pulled the trigger on another pass-rusher.
Young's career began well enough. He won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and looked destined for great things. Unfortunately, injuries and poor performance blighted the next few years. He was eventually traded to the San Francisco 49ers for nothing more than a compensatory third-round pick.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing to have. Looking at how things stand currently, Washington's outlook would look far more promising if the pick had been Justin Herbert. Something that might not go unnoticed by the new regime given they also have the No. 2 selection to utilize this spring.