Commanders news: Jayden Daniels, Mike Sainristil, Ben Sinnott and draft grade
By Dean Jones
Commanders draft class lauded
The Washington Commanders had a chance to speed up their rebuild during the 2024 NFL Draft. Adam Peters was loaded with a bounty of selections - many of which fell in the top 100. Not every pick is going to work out, but one cannot look at the acquisitions made with anything other than positivity right now.
There's a chance that changes. Some prospects take longer to adjust than others. What's important for the Commanders is providing those struggling initially some extra freedom to develop at their own pace to avoid things spiraling past the point of no return. That was a constant source of frustration under Ron Rivera, who tasked some rookies with responsibilities they weren't ready for.
One doesn't have to look far around the media to see how Peters' first draft class in Washington is being perceived. The Commanders have been lauded for their class this year, with Ryan Wilson from CBS Sports being the latest to hand them an A+ grade as a result of their efforts.
Wilson - who placed the Commanders at No. 2 league-wide - highlighted defensive lineman Johnny Newton as the best-value pick made by Peters. One that he believes makes sense with the uncertainty attached to others on the defensive line depth chart.
"Maybe Johnny Newton fell to Round 2 because of a foot injury that sidelined him for much of the pre-draft process but he has first-round tape. And, yes, there's serious depth along the defensive line, but a) Newton's ability makes him hard to pass up early in Round 2, and b) Jonathan Allen and Phil Mathis' contracts are set to expire after the 2025 season."
All this adulation is nice and well-deserved, but the proof is in the pudding. Dan Quinn and his accomplished coaching staff must get these rookies up to speed and ensure they're in the best possible position to make varying contributions during the 2024 campaign. After that, we should get a broader perspective about what they might be capable of.