Ron Rivera thought he left the Washington Commanders in a better place than he found them. That might be true to a certain extent, but the new regime still had an ungodly mess to clean up.
One of Rivera's biggest faults came from the draft. The head coach, who also had the final say on personnel, couldn't evaluate talent effectively. Most of Washington's high-end selections flopped, and the team paid a heavy price. This was no more evident than in his final campaign, which landed Adam Peters the No. 2 overall selection in 2024 to enhance his rebuild.
This was the best gift Rivera ever gave the Commanders. They used the pick to select quarterback Jayden Daniels, who completely transformed the franchise's outlook during a rookie campaign that will live long in the memory.
Things are looking up at long last for the Commanders. Peters deserves credit for making some tough decisions and displaying ruthlessness in his roster construction that kept urgency high. Anyone not pulling their weight was shown the door with little fanfare attached.
Many of Rivera's picks fell into this category. With this in mind, we re-graded the Commanders' 2023 NFL Draft class after two seasons. And it's not good.
Re-grading the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft class after two seasons
Andre Jones Jr. - Commanders DE/OLB
- Round No. 7 | Pick No. 233
The Washington Commanders spent their seventh-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft on Andre Jones Jr. He was a developmental edge rusher with some intriguing physical traits to build upon. Some initial rookie flashes left hope this could become something more when the new regime came into the fold.
This didn't come to fruition. Jones was unable to impress enough to make the 53-man roster. The Louisiana graduate found his way onto the practice squad, featuring in two games and gaining just 17 defensive snaps.
It represented a step back for Jones. Even so, the Commanders are not completely giving up on the player just yet.
Jones got a reserve/futures contract when the 2024 campaign concluded. The Commanders see something in the player to provide hope. Another offseason with the same coaches in the same defensive scheme gives him a fighting chance if nothing else.
- Draft grade: B-
The fact that Jones is still around after two years is an achievement. Seventh-round picks start from the bottom. It's been a rollercoaster journey for Jones as expected, so the margin for error is razor-thin entering his third preparation period with the squad.