Adam Peters came out of his first NFL Draft as Washington Commanders' general manager with an enormous sense of credit. The team's new front office leader manipulated the board extremely well, picked the best prospects available at all times, and wasn't afraid to go against the grain with some glaring needs to fill.
The Commanders are in a much better position as a result. If Jayden Daniels turns out to be the franchise-changing quarterback many anticipate, it won't be much longer before this proud organization is talked about among the contenders once again. It's been a long time coming, but Peters' early impression indicates he was the right man to spearhead Washington's rise back to prominence.
With the college selection process firmly in the rearview mirror, the Commanders could look to fortify any remaining holes through veteran free agents remaining on the market. According to Spotrac, there is $43.78 million at the team's disposal, which will come down once the draft class is signed but still enough to tempt some still looking for work.
On this topic, here are four free agents the Commanders must consider bringing into the fold following the 2024 NFL Draft.
Commanders could sign Donovan Smith
Adam Peters was unable to trade back into the first round for a premier left tackle. The general manager tried, but whether the asking price was too great or the prospects of interest had gone, nothing became concrete. They did manage to select Brandon Coleman in the third round, but asking him to occupy blindside responsibilities right out of the gate is unrealistic and unfair in equal measure.
This could lead the Commanders to acquire a decent veteran left tackle from free agency to provide a short-term solution while Coleman gets up to speed. Donovan Smith is a Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs but wasn't brought back. However, he's dependable enough to fill the void with a smooth transition.
Smith turned out in 749 snaps for the Chiefs last season, giving up two sacks and conceding nine penalties. He wouldn't be the most ideal candidate all things considered, but pickings are slim at this stage of the offseason.
Commanders could sign Stephon Gilmore
The Washington Commanders got one of the best pound-for-pound players in the 2024 NFL Draft on Day 2. Mike Sainristil projects to be the team's STAR option according to general manager Adam Peters. This means Quan Martin is likely moving to his college position of safety to provide the backend with an extra sense of athleticism.
There's no doubt Sainristil is going to be a tremendous player. However, if Peters is correct about how the former Michigan team captain will be deployed in the pros, the Commanders have the same concerns with their outside cornerback tandem of Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes.
Forbes and St-Juste could improve under the expert guidance of Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr., but there's just no telling for sure. It would be wise for the Commanders to bring in a dependable veteran piece capable of picking up the slack. It just so happens that someone with previous connections to the coaching staff is still sitting on the market.
It's a surprise to see Stephon Gilmore remain unsigned. The former NFL Defensive Payer of the Year performed well under Quinn last season with the Dallas Cowboys. His production remains assured despite his advancing years. There's just no telling what a player such as this would be able to do for the development of younger corners on the roster, too.
This makes a ton of sense, but Gilmore might also have his sights set elsewhere. He's reportedly keen on joining the Carolina Panthers and playing closer to home despite his acrimonious departure from the franchise in 2021. Nothing has been set in stone just yet, but the interest is said to be mutual if the financial aspect works for all parties.
It wouldn't hurt the Commanders to put in a call to see if Gilmore would be interested in linking back up with Quinn and Whitt. They also have the means to throw decent money in his direction to get this possible deal over the finishing line.
Commanders could sign D.J. Humphries
As previously mentioned, the Washington Commanders have one big priority above all else after the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite Adam Peters' claims that he'd be happy with Cornelius Lucas or Trent Scott manning the left tackle position in 2024, a better alternative must be found to avoid placing any unnecessary burden on franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Brandon Coleman is an athletic specimen with exceptional college production under his belt. However, many believe he'll be better suited to the interior thanks to his lack of NFL-caliber length. This is up for debate, but it won't take long for those in power to find out one way or another this offseason.
One of the better options available in free agency also has a previous connection to Washington's new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. After nine seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, team captain D.J. Humphries was deemed expendable by the franchise this offseason and is still without a home.
The former first-round selection suffered a torn ACL that cut his campaign short way ahead of time. Humphries revealed that everything is on pace for a full recovery, although whether he'll be available to participate in offseason workouts is still to be determined.
Humphries is a solid if not spectacular blindside enforcer. He might never live up to the heights expected when he became a No. 24 overall selection out of Florida, but one could make a strong case for the edge presence being a significant upgrade on anything Washington boasts at the left tackle spot currently.
Much will depend on the money involved and whether Humphries can develop instant chemistry with his teammates without a full preparation period under his belt. But if these medical checks are satisfactory, the Commanders could do far worse than look in his direction as a viable short-term option while Coleman develops problem areas of his game.
Commanders could sign D.J. Chark
The Washington Commanders need to provide quarterback Jayden Daniels with everything needed to excel immediately. There will be some growing pains - which is almost commonplace for rookies - so the support system and infrastructure must be on point to prevent a situation Bryce Young endured with the Carolina Panthers in 2023.
This was an exceptionally deep group of wide receivers. Adam Peters was wise to take advantage of that fact, bringing Luke McCaffrey - a raw but athletically gifted big slot option - into the fold with the selection Washington got from the San Francisco 49ers as part of their trade for Chase Young.
Expecting miracles from McCaffrey right away is asking for trouble. He's new to the wide receiver position and the Commanders are betting on ceiling rather than any prolific college production. Looking at the options available, it wouldn't be surprising to see those in power target another veteran piece - one capable of generating consistent separation and becoming the vertical threat this offense needs.
Someone like D.J. Chark could be a possibility if the Commanders went down this route. The speedy wideout is a deep threat with the potential to add something a little different. Things didn't go according to plan for the Panthers last season, but there were plenty of mitigating circumstances attached to the player's underachievement.
Chark is a former Pro Bowler with one 1,000-yard season under his belt. He'd also be coming into the franchise highly motivated knowing this would likely be his final opportunity before the league casts him aside entirely.
The LSU product recently visited the Los Angeles Chargers but left without a deal. Chark remains a free agent, but for how much longer remains to be seen. If the Commanders think he could bring something Kliff Kingsbury's offense, they need to act fast for fear of missing out entirely.