Commanders news: J.J. McCarthy, Nick Allegretti, Josh Harris and trade calls
By Dean Jones
Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines as speculation continues to rise around the team's 2024 NFL Draft plans?
April has officially arrived, which means the NFL Draft is less than a month away. It's a big one for the Washington Commanders, who have a bounty of high-end picks at their disposal. Although they have a few glaring needs that must be addressed, the hot topic of discussion centers on which quarterback Adam Peters will take at No. 2 overall.
It's an exciting yet exhausting time for fans as debates rage about which signal-caller is the best fit to take the Commanders into a prosperous new era. While we wait for concrete developments, the stories accumulating column inches include J.J. McCarthy being the guy, Nick Allegretti's primary goal, Josh Harris on the team's upcoming draft conundrum, and the prospect of trading down for a king's ransom.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Nick Allegretti's goal
After flashing for the Kansas City Chiefs at the back end of their Super Bowl run when Joe Thuney went down through injury, Nick Allegretti seized the moment. He joined the Washington Commanders in free agency on a decent deal financially. However, that wasn't the primary reason why he opted to take his chances elsewhere.
Based on Allegretti's comments via NFL.com, getting the chance to compete for a starting job was the tipping point. The Chiefs already have their two starting guards locked up in Trey Smith and Thuney. That's not the case in Washington, which didn't go unnoticed by the player when examining potential destinations.
"I have a ton of respect for the guys in Kansas City. I enjoyed my role there, but I think I had gotten to the point in my career where I wanted to come and be a starter in Week 1. That's my goal coming to Washington. This was a great opportunity. I have a ton of respect for coach [Dan] Quinn and what he's been able to accomplish in his career. It looked like I had a great opportunity to come in here and compete. That's all I wanted. I knew that I could be a Day 1 starter, and that's what I'm here to prove."
- Nick Allegretti via NFL.com
Hopefully, Allegretti can build on his newfound momentum and make the left guard position his own. With Tyler Biadscz coming into the center spot and Sam Cosmi thriving as the right guard as all around him crumbled in 2023, this has the makings of a decent interior if everyone stays clear of health issues.