Commanders 5-round 2024 NFL mock draft after 2-3 start in 2023
By Dean Jones
Commanders draft Tommy Eichenberg
- Linebacker | Ohio State Buckeyes
It hasn't been the most profitable opening to the campaign defensively. The Washington Commanders' vaunted unit was tipped for great things heading into the 2023 season, but it's been anything but up to now and unless things change, it'll continue to hold the team back despite some encouraging progress on the offensive side of things.
The linebacking corps remains a weak link, which many expected before the regular season began. Jamin Davis is decent but no more than that. with Cody Barton struggling to find any sort of momentum throughout a lackluster stint with the Commanders to date after his arrival in free agency from the Seattle Seahawks.
Finding an interior presence that can identify gaps and react quickly is of paramount importance. The Commanders shouldn't have let Cole Holcomb go in hindsight, but it's a position group they cannot ignore any longer.
Finding a long-term solution via the 2024 NFL Draft should be a big priority depending on what the Commanders end up doing when the free-agent frenzy begins. Tommy Eichenberg plays with the sort of urgency and athleticism that's been sorely lacking at Washington's defensive second-level, which is enhanced by eye-popping physicality to stop runners dead in their tracks.
There is some work to do from a coverage standpoint, but Eichenberg has all the makings of a Day 1 starter at the next level. Something the Commanders desperately need whether there's a change in coaches or not.