Commanders 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Missing pieces edition
By Dean Jones
Commanders draft Cole Bishop
- Safety | Utah Utes
- No. 78 overall
It was disappointing to see Kamren Curl depart for the Los Angeles Rams in free agency. The contract terms weren't exactly extortionate looking at his rise into a prolific starter, but the Washington Commanders felt moving on from the former seventh-round pick out of Arkansas was better for their long-term future.
The Commanders signed Jeremy Chinn from the Carolina Panthers, who is listed as a safety but does his best work closer to the line of scrimmage. Unless Percy Butler takes a monumental leap forward under Dan Quinn's coaching staff, more is needed on the backend.
There are plenty of intriguing options on the market that the Commanders could target before the draft. If they decide on a college prospect, someone like Cole Bishop could be a decent value selection at this stage of the process.
Bishop was one of the nation's top safeties in 2023. He does everything well. He can cover receivers in the slot and provide adequate backend support to cornerbacks over the top. This is matched by a willingness to get physical against the run and even assist in blitz packages when the situation dictates.
Once the player improves his tackling technique working with the Commanders' coaching staff and adds a little extra bulk to his frame in the weight room, it would be a surprise if he wasn't ready to make an immediate contribution.