It’s no secret that the Washington Commanders will select a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft. The odds are even better that Washington will take one with the No. 2 overall pick.
The question is whether it will be North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye or LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. USC quarterback Caleb Williams is likely going to the Bears at No. 1.
Every move Washington has made this offseason points to a quarterback coming. The Commanders traded last year’s starter, Sam Howell, and signed veteran Marcus Mariota in free agency. It’s doubtful that Washington views Mariota as a starting option for an entire season.
Additionally, new head coach Dan Quinn hired an offensive staff full of former quarterbacks, led by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. In total, the Commanders have five former Power 5 starting quarterbacks on their coaching staff.
In a chat with Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network at the Annual League Meeting on Saturday, Quinn acknowledged the likelihood of the Commanders selecting a quarterback in the draft, just not where.
“I would say it’d be fair to envision we’d be taking a quarterback,” Quinn said. “To say where it’ll be happening, I think that’s a better question for (GM) Adam (Peters). As the next weeks unfold there’ll be a lot of discussion, and that’s why we’ve had a great trip out seeing some guys, we’ll do that some more in the weeks ahead, but I’ve enjoyed that process with Adam, and going through it. He’s somebody that is an absolute expert at this position, what it looks like, where to go, and so going through that process has been really cool.”
That’s the right answer. At this point, what good does denying that Washington may take a quarterback do?
Quinn did acknowledge that other teams are interested in the No. 2 pick.
“Yes, I would say it’s ringing, and because, like you said, of the talent of the group this year,” Quinn said. “And so I would anticipate him fielding these calls as it goes through, and usually it’s not necessarily later than No. 6 or 7, but those people who are usually in the top four or five, there’s somebody that somebody has targeted, and I think it’s mostly like ‘Well, I’ve got to take a shot!’ A lot of times, it’s no, like ‘Thanks for calling,’ but it is part of the process, and you have to do your due diligence to listen and to find out just to make sure, like is there something that you just couldn’t refuse.”
The Bears have allegedly said it would take a “historic haul” for them to move off the No. 1 pick. Washington is probably in the same position. As someone who values the draft, Peters would love to move back and acquire more assets to help the Commanders rebuild. But you need a quarterback, and Washington doesn’t have one.
Don’t bet on the Commanders trading away the No. 2 overall pick, regardless of the interest in the spot.