5 trades the Commanders should consider to boost playoff chances in 2023

What trades could the Washington Commanders make before the deadline to bolster their chances of making the postseason in 2023?

After grinding out a hard-fought victory in Week 6, the Washington Commanders' hopes of making the wild card haven't been completely evaporated. Things are still hanging in the balance, but Ron Rivera's men at least kept themselves in the hunt and steadied the ship following three straight losses.

Reaching the playoffs is the minimum requirement for Rivera, one suspects. Josh Harris' ownership group is watching everything closely as part of their ongoing assessments, so any perceived lack of growth might lead to landmark changes when the 2023 campaign concludes.

Rivera's always been keen to state his happiness with this particular group of players. While that's commendable, the figurehead should also look at ways to improve his options before the upcoming trade deadline.

With this in mind, here are five trades the Commanders might want to consider to enhance their playoff hopes in 2023.

Commanders could trade for Michael Onwenu

The Washington Commanders' offensive line has taken some expected criticism this season. They've had some nice moments, but quarterback Sam Howell is getting hit too much through six weeks and this has the scope to completely derail the team's postseason aspirations.

While some of the blame can be directly placed on the signal-caller, adding to Washington's depth might be an option to consider if the price is right. With the New England Patriots going nowhere fast at 1-5 under Bill Belichick, they might decide to sell off assets such as Michael Onwenu when it's all said and done.

Onwenu is far from perfect and has struggled with discipline issues this season. But based on his exceptional 2022 form, he'd been an immediate upgrade on the rotation and perhaps even as a starter.