The Washington Commanders are not blessed with much high-end draft capital during the 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Adam Peters is light on assets after trading for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. He would do that all over again, but most analysts believe the front-office leader might be done with any more trades for the time being.
However, that didn't stop an NFL writer from connecting the Commanders to a strange trade idea that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Washington needed help at the tight end position this offseason. Zach Ertz is recovering from a torn ACL, but the Commanders couldn't wait around. Peters struck quickly to sign Chig Okonkwo to a three-year, $30 million deal. This could be a game-changer for quarterback Jayden Daniels, adding more athleticism and ability after the catch that this offense has lacked.
Commanders connected to a trade that simply makes no sense whatsoever
Even so, Mike Moraitis of Sporting News strangely named the Commanders among the trade suitors for Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, and the reasoning didn't exactly hold up.
"The Commanders have already made a sizeable investment at tight end with Chig Okonkwo, but the former Tennessee Titans fourth-round pick does not offer much as a blocker and the rest of the Washington's tight ends offer zero as receivers.
"Having someone like Freiermuth would help make Washington's offense even less predictable while also freeing Okonkwo up to line up in different spots in order to maximize his elite athleticism as a playmaker."
Freiermuth is a decent-enough player, though he failed to build on his encouraging rookie campaign. Moraitis may think this is a good fit, but he missed out on some key points that make it a complete non-starter.
First, Okonkwo's blocking is much better than perceived, especially on running plays. The Commanders may not task him with much of that, given their need to maximize his dynamic promise as a pass-catcher. But what Moraitis missed was the presence of John Bates in Washington, one of the best blocking tight ends anywhere in the league.
Bates is an elite-level blocker. The Commanders have also seen flashes of blocking prowess from 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott. That makes a move for Freiermuth extremely unlikely at best, especially considering what the Steelers may want in return.
Now, if a cornerback became available on the trade market, that's much more feasible. Adding an experienced coverage asset might give Peters the freedom to take Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 7 overall, which would be a win-win for everybody.
As for Freiermuth? Fans should take this speculation for what it is. A suggestion that simply won't go anywhere.