5 high-risk free agents Commanders could sign before the 2024 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Commanders could sign Laviska Shenault Jr.
The Washington Commanders lost Curtis Samuel in free agency when he joined the Buffalo Bills. While it would have been nice for the versatile playmaker to get another deal, general manager Adam Peters was never going to allocate substantial resources in his direction at this stage of the team's vast rebuild.
It's been a busy start to free agency as expected, but the Commanders have yet to address the wide receiver position aside from giving Jamison Crowder a one-year extension. This is a deep draft class that Washington should come out of with one or two prospects depending on how the board plays out, but finding another veteran piece to assist their new quarterback wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.
Laviska Shenault Jr. is a player who hasn't yet lived up to his promise. He flashed on the Jacksonville Jaguars before being traded to the Carolina Panthers. Again, this came with fleeting moments of quality but nothing more.
One thing Shenault does have that could be of use is versatility. He can line up anywhere across the line of scrimmage and is a significant threat to gain yards after the catch. The former second-round pick isn't the smoothest route-runner imaginable, but he brings a level of physicality most in Washington's wide receiver room doesn't possess.
Shenault can also get some work in the backfield to further enhance his influence. The Commanders might wait until after the draft, but this is a decent high-risk, high-reward alternative.