There is a lot going on with the Washington Commanders ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. The franchise is in the middle of being sold from the much-vilified Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris.
Therefore, you’d think Washington fans would be elated ahead of next week’s draft.
Well, according to Sportsbook Review, the Commanders are the third-least-hopeful franchise ahead of the draft. In a survey where Sportsbook Review asked thousands of NFL fans to rate their optimism on a scale of 1 through 10 on how well their team would fare in the draft, the Commanders scored 4.91. The only two fan bases least optimistic were the Raiders and Browns.
The Seattle Seahawks came in at No. 1 with the most optimistic fan base.
James Bisson, Editor-In-Chief at Sportsbook Review, offers his comments on the Commanders:
It really won’t be fair to assess the Commanders’ 2022 draft for a couple of years, given that their key offensive pieces (WR Jahan Dotson, RB Brian Robinson Jr., QB Sam Howell) were all injured or otherwise limited. But in an era of instant gratification, waiting is tough.
It’s also fair to say that Commanders fans have every right to be pessimistic. After all, the team hasn’t drafted multiple Pro Bowl players in the same draft year since 2012, while just five of the 18 players picked in the past two years have become primary starters at their position.
The Commanders have drafted well in late rounds in recent years. With a new owner coming aboard and head coach Ron Rivera entering a critical fourth season, Washington needs to come away with a strong draft class.