Commanders news: Draft trade, Kliff Kingsbury, Trent Williams and Kendall Fuller

Kliff Kingsbury's influence

It didn't take long for speculation about a potential trade to No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft for Caleb Williams to surface after Kliff Kingsbury became Washington Commanders offensive coordinator. The two are connected from their time together at USC last season. This would allow for a smooth transition if those in power went bold.

Of course, the Chicago Bears hold all the cards from atop the draft. Dan Graziano from ESPN also highlighted Drake Maye's familiarity with a similar offensive scheme and Jayden Daniels' game-changing traits as reasons why the Commanders might not bother sacrificing significant capital to move up one spot.

"The sources I've talked to point out that North Carolina's Drake Maye played in Phil Longo's offensive system in 2022, which is a version of the Air Raid that [Kliff] Kingsbury knows how to coach. They also point out that LSU's Jayden Daniels is a mobile quarterback and talented downfield thrower who could mesh well with Kingsbury, who has coached Kyler Murray and [Patrick] Mahomes. I would expect the Commanders to look into what it would take to draft [Caleb] Williams, but I'd caution against thinking they hired Kingsbury based on any belief or certainty that they were going to get him."

- Dan Graziano, ESPN

Maye and Daniels wouldn't be bad consolation prizes by any stretch. There are also rumors about quarterback demand being high this year given how the 2025 class could look. The Commanders have done a nice job at molding a staff capable of nurturing a young signal-caller. Picking the right one is essential.