2. Commanders could trade for Kyle Pitts
Trading for Kyle Pitts is a gamble. The Atlanta Falcons tight end is supremely gifted, which is why he was chosen No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since then, he has shown flashes of that ability but simply not produced at a consistent level.
Pitts has spent four seasons in Atlanta with mediocre-to-bad quarterback play and uninspired offensive schemes. Now that the Falcons are beginning to show signs of life, he has taken a back seat to Bijan Robinson and Drake London.
Some analysts already have Pitts headed to the Kansas City Chiefs to step into Travis Kelce’s shoes should he retire. Putting the former Florida sensation in a creative, dynamic offense could pay big dividends.
He doesn’t even turn 25 years old until the middle of the 2025 season and still boasts a 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame that can run 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Pitts’ athleticism would allow him to line up along with Zach Ertz if the veteran sticks around another year or two. He could also pair with the versatile Ben Sinnott down the road.
Athletes like Pitts don’t come along every day. There is nothing in his career that suggests anyone should give up on unlocking that potential just yet.
1. Commanders could trade for Myles Garrett
Myles Garrett should be Adam Peters’ top trade target this offseason. As much as I would like to see Pitts and Germaine Pratt in Commanders’ jerseys next year, the defensive end's potential value dwarfs both of them.
Under normal circumstances, no team would ever trade a player like Garrett. Fortunately for the Commanders, the Cleveland Browns are far from normal. They have dug such a deep hole with their catastrophic pursuit of Deshaun Watson that climbing out of it will require them to consider the unthinkable.
Garrett is a dominant player in one of the most important positions on the football field. He can line up virtually anywhere along the defensive front. He draws double teams wherever he goes and still produces at an elite level.
He makes his teammates substantially better. Garrett is still just 29 years old. He has shown absolutely no sign of slowing down.
The former No. 1 pick out of Texas A&M has hit double figures in sacks for seven straight seasons. Despite constant double-teaming, he has recorded 60 sacks over the past four years. In that time, Garrett also has 74 tackles for loss. That’s basically one sack and one TFL every single game for four straight years.
Adding him to an aggressive young unit with Frankie Luvu, Johnny Newton, Mike Sainristil, and Jeremy Chinn (if re-signed) would instantly vault the Commanders' defense from the middle-of-the-pack to well above average. With one or two other smart moves, they could be championship-level.
Whatever ultimately happens with Garrett will have ripple effects throughout the league. If he is moved, even if it is not to Washington, it might pave the way for other players like Trey Hendrickson or cornerback Denzel Ward to also enter the market.
If I’m Peters, those could be Plan C options. Garrett is Plan A and B by himself.