Dan Quinn fans the trade-down flames as Commanders finalize plans

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn fanned the trade-down flames from No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

All options are currently on the table at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. While most anticipate the Washington Commanders to select a quarterback after trading Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks, general manager Adam Peters isn't giving too much away for fear of losing leverage.

Trading down from No. 2 remains a possibility. It's a slight one, granted, but some fans feel like this would be the best thing to do as part of a long-term plan for success. Whether it's something Peters is legitimately contemplating has yet to be determined, but it's a bold call to make with a potential franchise signal-caller there for the taking.

Commanders taking calls for the No. 2 pick

Dan Quinn acknowledged that calls are being made by those looking to strike a deal when speaking to Tom Pelissero from NFL.com. While the head coach acknowledged that taking a quarterback is probable, he's trusting Peters to make the correct decision. There is a deep trust already building between the two, something that can become the catalyst behind improved fortunes in the nation's capital.

"Yes, I would say it's ringing, and because, like you said, of the talent of the group this year. And so I would anticipate him fielding these calls as it goes through, and usually it's not necessarily later than No. 6 or 7, but those people who are usually in the top four or five, there's somebody that somebody has targeted, and I think it's mostly like 'Well, I've got to take a shot!' A lot of times it's no, like 'Thanks for calling' but it is part of the process, and you have to do your due diligence to listen and to find out just to make sure, like is there something that you just couldn't refuse. So, I think anybody in personnel with the skills of Adam, they're going to listen, but there's only so many things that you'd consider, and it'd better be really good."

- Dan Quinn via NFL.com

Teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders have been linked with surges up the pecking order. It would need to be a king's ransom of epic proportions for Peters to even consider the possibility. Even then it might not be enough when one considers the desperate need for the Commanders to find a signal-caller capable of spearheading their exciting new era.

Quinn fanned the flames, but no more than that. The Commanders don't plan on picking this high again - certainly if Peters has his way. Therefore, taking a quarterback there is consensus belief in and molding the roster around a rookie contract represents the most sensible course of action.

Most fans are divided between Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. There's also momentum building around J.J. McCarthy that cannot be ignored. There are a select few who think the Commanders should accept a bounty of high-end picks in 2024 and into the future to shift down the order. Even if that might jeopardize their chances of solving their complex riddle under center.

It's not like the Commanders are craving more picks. Additional first or second-rounders potentially lead to more lucrative contract extensions down the line. The only way this becomes affordable is by having a productive quarterback on a cheap contract.

Peters knows this all too well from his time with the San Francisco 49ers. He'll probably get a tempting offer or two, but it would be an absolute bombshell if the Commanders traded out of No. 2 all things considered.