The Washington Commanders are embarking on a do-or-die clash against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. If they lose, this season will be done, and major offseason changes will be all but confirmed.
That is how high the stakes are for head coach Dan Quinn. Patience is slowly running out, but the bye week came at a good time. Everyone took stock, refocused, and renewed confidence in beating the under-strength Eagles at Northwest Stadium.
Anything less, and the Commanders have got a massive problem.
General manager Adam Peters will be watching developments unfold closely. He's been reluctant to sell, and if he does before the trade deadline, injuries to wide receiver Terry McLaurin and defensive lineman Daron Payne make it more complicated.
Either way, next year could be the last draft Peters gets to turn this project around. And looking at his previous three drafts, that could legitimately go either way.
Currently, the Commanders are picking at No. 4 overall, which is prime real estate in what's expected to be a very strong draft. Using the Pro Football and Sports Network simulator, we took a swing on how things could go in our latest seven-round mock.
Washington Commanders 7-round 2027 mock draft begins with a difference maker on the edge
Commanders draft Colin Simmons
- Edge Rusher | Texas Longhorns
- Round No. 1 Pick No. 4
A top-five selection isn't ideal, but it puts the Washington Commanders in a decent spot. Adam Peters could look to extract maximum value from the selection if a team lower down falls in love with one of the quarterback prospects. If not, he could spend the pick on a blue-chip player with franchise-cornerstone potential.
And if Colin Simmons is still available when Washington goes on the clock, the Texas star would be a tough prospect to pass up.
The Commanders could have a real need at edge rusher during the offseason. Odafe Oweh and Joshua Josephs will be part of the long-term plans, but all bets are off otherwise.
Dorance Armstrong Jr. and K'Lavon Chaisson are both out of contract and may not return. The same goes for Charles Omenihu, Deatrich Wise Jr., and Javontae Jean-Baptiste, so massive changes in this critical area are expected.
While Simmons wouldn't solve every problem, he would get the Commanders a lot closer. His explosiveness off the snap, relentless aggression, and exceptional anticipation make him one of college football's most feared pass-rushers.
Simmons might be a little undersized, but his length isn't. He's big, fast, strong, and has the pass-rushing repertoire teams will be salivating over throughout the pre-draft process.
Pressure breaks pipes. Pairing Simmons with Oweh gives the Commanders a chance to cause havoc for years to come.
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