The 2024 Commanders NFL Draft Thread

[lavar703]

1 hour ago, TKellion said:

Think Atl would take a second for him lol?

But seriously Slingin Sammy Howell wasnt much worse than Peyton his rookie season (18 int)I am all for Brock Bowers in the first and Xavier Legette in the second plus a couple olinemen.Then letting Sam have another go with a more inovative OC and better protection.Using our strong RBs to carry us and not putting it all on Howell to win it for us.In the glory years when I was young they could always run the ball when it mattered.To run out games and add points.They new it was coming and couldnt stop it.It is what we need again.Draft another QB with 1 of the seconds.Nix Maybe?

Not to be rude but why would we use a second round pick on another Sam Howell? Nix is basically Sam without the strong arm. If the idea was to give Sam one more go while forgoing a QB in the first round then I'm not taking some QB that isn't as good as him and is older. I'd rather just not take one at all if its not one of the big three. 

[naptownskinsfan]

1 hour ago, TKellion said:

Think Atl would take a second for him lol?

But seriously Slingin Sammy Howell wasnt much worse than Peyton his rookie season (18 int)I am all for Brock Bowers in the first and Xavier Legette in the second plus a couple olinemen.Then letting Sam have another go with a more inovative OC and better protection.Using our strong RBs to carry us and not putting it all on Howell to win it for us.In the glory years when I was young they could always run the ball when it mattered.To run out games and add points.They new it was coming and couldnt stop it.It is what we need again.Draft another QB with 1 of the seconds.Nix Maybe?

There is a lot of positives (and negatives) to letting Howell run it back while you implement new “everything” in the organization.  

[RSkinGM]

2 hours ago, TKellion said:

Think Atl would take a second for him lol?

But seriously Slingin Sammy Howell wasnt much worse than Peyton his rookie season (18 int)I am all for Brock Bowers in the first and Xavier Legette in the second plus a couple olinemen.Then letting Sam have another go with a more inovative OC and better protection.Using our strong RBs to carry us and not putting it all on Howell to win it for us.In the glory years when I was young they could always run the ball when it mattered.To run out games and add points.They new it was coming and couldnt stop it.It is what we need again.Draft another QB with 1 of the seconds.Nix Maybe?

Sumthin tells me Nix won't be there in the second .. We'll see.

[lavar703]

1 hour ago, naptownskinsfan said:

There is a lot of positives (and negatives) to letting Howell run it back while you implement new “everything” in the organization.  

But you could always draft a QB at 2 and still ultimately run it back with Howell. There is always the chance they take Daniels or Maye and Howell simply beats them out for the job. As much as I am not a fan of Daniels I acknowledge he would represent an ability at the position we haven't had since forever and the same with Maye. Both of these guys are so extraordinarily talented that I think passing on them to kick the can down the road just makes no sense? If Howell happens to beat them out and becomes a stud QB then so be it. It will be one of the best problems a team in the NFL will have but I think passing on these two hoping to land in this kind of position again is silly. 

All I've heard from this fanbase for the last three years is how we passed on Herbert and Tua. "You never pass on the QB when you don't have a viable starting option" is the excuse that has been used over and over again for the folks who didn't want Chase Young. Now it appears those same people want to pass on QB to take a different position although our QB position is shaky at best and Howell was a 5th rounder. Haskins was a first rounder going into his second season. So we should've replaced our first rounder going into year two but not our 5th rounder going into year three? Seems odd to me. 

[Slappy Mc]

I think if a QB is selected at #2 overall, he must start. I don't care who is in the roster behind them, if you are selected #2, you are believed to be pro-ready and need to be on the field. 

*edit for clarification* I expect any position/player selected second overall be on the field immediately. 

Edited January 30 by Slappy Mc

[MikeT14]

4 minutes ago, Slappy Mc said:

I think if a QB is selected at #2 overall, he must start. I don't care who is in the roster behind them, if you are selected #2, you are believed to be pro-ready and need to be on the field. 

*edit for clarification* I expect any position/player selected second overall be on the field immediately. 

I honestly don't disagree. 

[lavar703]

14 minutes ago, Slappy Mc said:

I think if a QB is selected at #2 overall, he must start. I don't care who is in the roster behind them, if you are selected #2, you are believed to be pro-ready and need to be on the field. 

*edit for clarification* I expect any position/player selected second overall be on the field immediately. 

I absolutely agree with you but if for some reason you get to camp and Sam is just better and has grown what do you do? Bench him. I mean, I'm fine with that if it means we're simply moving towards the future but I'm not sure the coaching staff would be

[Slappy Mc]

15 hours ago, offbyone said:

Neither was Pitts at the time and he is nothing special.

But honestly Bowers at 8 is a lot different than #2 or top 5.  I could get on board for that.  Although I think @Slappy Mc should have still taken a qb in the second.  

 

I am very down on this QB class. I understand there are a ton of QBs, but mediocre QBs are a dime a dozen and that's the majority of what you see this year. Nix, McCarthy and Penix are JAGs that won't get 2nd contracts and probably won't ever see the field. 

The only QB I considered after landing Bowers, was Jordan Travis. Unfortunately he went before pick #100 where I was targeting him. At that point, I would probably bring Brissett back as he had a good report with Howell and have a real open QB competition.

[Slappy Mc]

2 minutes ago, lavar703 said:

I absolutely agree with you but if for some reason you get to camp and Sam is just better and has grown what do you do? Bench him. I mean, I'm fine with that if it means we're simply moving towards the future but I'm not sure the coaching staff would be

Absolutely. Drafting a QB at 2 means the end of Howell. He was drafted in the 5th and got a raw deal shot at being a QB, but the NFL is like that sometimes. 

The new regime is tasked with not only evaluating the prospects but the players currently on the team. If they feel that Sam Howell is QBotF material, they probably don't draft a QB at 2. However, if a QB is drafted at 2, there is zero chance I want Howell seeing the field unless there is an injury. 

If we drafted Joe Alt at 2 and he was a back up, I would be pissed. 

If we drafted MHJr at 2 and he was a back up, I'd be pissed. 

The 2nd overall pick needs to start. 

[Slappy Mc]

Something I feel pretty strongly about is that this new ownership, this new management group and new coaching staff HAVE to get their first draft pick of the new era correct.

Arguably, what the team does with the #2 pick will have the greatest impact on the direction of this franchise, for better or for worse. 

I expect "the safe route" to eventually be the prevailing scenario. Even if that is trading down from 2 to 3 and selecting an OT/WR. IMO, only Caleb Williams would fit the safe route. If he is there at 2, I would expect that to be the pick. 

[lavar703]

5 minutes ago, Slappy Mc said:

Absolutely. Drafting a QB at 2 means the end of Howell. He was drafted in the 5th and got a raw deal shot at being a QB, but the NFL is like that sometimes. 

The new regime is tasked with not only evaluating the prospects but the players currently on the team. If they feel that Sam Howell is QBotF material, they probably don't draft a QB at 2. However, if a QB is drafted at 2, there is zero chance I want Howell seeing the field unless there is an injury. 

If we drafted Joe Alt at 2 and he was a back up, I would be pissed. 

If we drafted MHJr at 2 and he was a back up, I'd be pissed. 

The 2nd overall pick needs to start. 

I agree and I don't lol. I do believe the second overall pick should be starting but comparing it to a situation like Alt or MHJ is different. We took an OT in the top 5 who wasn't going to start because A. he was being beaten out by the vet in Moses and B. He wasn't ready to play that position. Fortunately for Scherff and the team, moving him to guard was an option and it worked out. Drafting a receiver at 2 we have plenty of opportunities to get him on the field even if he's not above Terry or Jahan on the depth chart. However, if you take Maye or Daniels and they don't appear ready right out of the gate you could destroy their confidence quickly if poor play happens and happens a lot.

Now I know what you're going to say and that's well if they struggle they shouldn't be the second overall pick but QBs all develop at different speeds. So if the QB you choose isn't ready but by week 10 or so he is I see no issue with sitting him. Drafting a QB is about the next 15 years of your teams future or you're hoping, not the next 15 weeks. 

[Slappy Mc]

1 minute ago, lavar703 said:

Now I know what you're going to say and that's well if they struggle they shouldn't be the second overall pick but QBs all develop at different speeds. So if the QB you choose isn't ready but by week 10 or so he is I see no issue with sitting him. Drafting a QB is about the next 15 years of your teams future or you're hoping, not the next 15 weeks. 

Players struggle and underperform, that's all well and good. If the player drafted at #2 isn't physically or mentally ready to play in the NFL, it is a failure. We all saw how much we complained when an overdrafted CB was drafted in the middle of the 1st round, there is zero chance that a top 2 pick can ride the bench. I don't care what position, they have to start. 

4 minutes ago, lavar703 said:

We took an OT in the top 5 who wasn't going to start because A. he was being beaten out by the vet in Moses and B. He wasn't ready to play that position. Fortunately for Scherff and the team, moving him to guard was an option and it worked out. Drafting a receiver at 2 we have plenty of opportunities to get him on the field even if he's not above Terry or Jahan on the depth chart. However, if you take Maye or Daniels and they don't appear ready right out of the gate you could destroy their confidence quickly if poor play happens and happens a lot.

Scherff should not have been drafted where we got him. That was essentially failing into a decent outcome. 

If MHJr is drafted, he should be the 1B receiver immediately. Dotson should be moved to the slot and be a rotational guy. 

We can't play the what if game with the QBs. That's how you get Trey Lance situations. If we had a stud QB in front of the rookie, Ala KC with Smith and Mahomes, it could possibly make sense to not play them, but we have Sam Howell. 

I have said this too many times now, but for the sake of the point, it doesn't matter who you have at QB, if the cast around them isn't better than what we had last year, the results will be the same. If you are worried about destroying a rookie QBs confidence because the team sucks around him (*cough*Carolina*cough*), maybe consider building the team for success, then finding your QBotF. 

 

I want this team to come back to the land of relevancy. If a rookie QB gets that done, awesome. I'm all for it. If we draft someone at #2 and they don't see the field a substantial amount, I don't know how we can claim to be getting better. 

[lavar703]

11 minutes ago, Slappy Mc said:

Something I feel pretty strongly about is that this new ownership, this new management group and new coaching staff HAVE to get their first draft pick of the new era correct.

Arguably, what the team does with the #2 pick will have the greatest impact on the direction of this franchise, for better or for worse. 

I expect "the safe route" to eventually be the prevailing scenario. Even if that is trading down from 2 to 3 and selecting an OT/WR. IMO, only Caleb Williams would fit the safe route. If he is there at 2, I would expect that to be the pick. 

This is the part where you and I disagree. I don't think passing on QB is the safe route. I actually think its the route to staying mediocre. We had probably the best LT play in the entire league over the last 20 years from Samuels to Williams. We had two 1K yard receivers in the same season and still couldn't win. There has been one constant in all of that and its QB play. I mean, last year we had a top 5 defense by DVOA and still didn't make the playoffs due to poor QB play. The closest thing we've had to great QB play was Kirk and he wasn't good enough. So I think passing on Maye to draft other positions in the hope that maybe we'll find our Brock Purdy just doesn't work. 

Now don't take this as me saying you're wrong. I'm just sort of giving my side of it. I think its very possible the route you want to go could end up being the correct one but I sort of lean towards Maye being the route move. I guess we'll ultimately see. Hopefully it all works out. 

[e16bball]

31 minutes ago, Slappy Mc said:

Absolutely. Drafting a QB at 2 means the end of Howell. He was drafted in the 5th and got a raw deal shot at being a QB, but the NFL is like that sometimes. 

The new regime is tasked with not only evaluating the prospects but the players currently on the team. If they feel that Sam Howell is QBotF material, they probably don't draft a QB at 2. However, if a QB is drafted at 2, there is zero chance I want Howell seeing the field unless there is an injury. 

If we drafted Joe Alt at 2 and he was a back up, I would be pissed. 

If we drafted MHJr at 2 and he was a back up, I'd be pissed. 

The 2nd overall pick needs to start. 

Where do you draw the line for “needs to start”? 

It seemed to work out okay in recent years for the Chiefs (10th), Bills (6th), Chargers (6th), Dolphins (5th), etc., not to have their very highly drafted QB start from day one. 

I’m a big proponent of having the young QB sit. I know it’s become less and less “acceptable.” But if you make a list of the top 10-15 QBs in the league, a pretty significant majority of them initially sat and learned behind other QBs: Mahomes, Allen, Lamar, Herbert, Tua, Rodgers, Cousins, Purdy, Love, Hurts, Goff. The list of guys who were plugged in from day one and succeeded is much shorter: Burrow, Lawrence, Stroud, Dak, Stafford.

I don’t know that there’s any “magic” in having a guy sit. But it does seem clear that there is some benefit to it. The mental part of playing QB is the hardest, and a lot of guys seem to fare better taking mental reps for a bit before they get out there with everything on the line.  

Obviously, the best case scenario is someone like Stroud, who they were apparently able to get up to speed by Week One. But if the player isn’t ready from jump, that’s (a) not the death knell for his career and (b) good reason to keep him on the bench until he is ready. Doesn’t mean forever. But you have to do what’s best for the long-term development of that player, not what an inpatient fanbase wants to see.

[lavar703]

7 minutes ago, Slappy Mc said:

Players struggle and underperform, that's all well and good. If the player drafted at #2 isn't physically or mentally ready to play in the NFL, it is a failure. We all saw how much we complained when an overdrafted CB was drafted in the middle of the 1st round, there is zero chance that a top 2 pick can ride the bench. I don't care what position, they have to start. 

Scherff should not have been drafted where we got him. That was essentially failing into a decent outcome. 

If MHJr is drafted, he should be the 1B receiver immediately. Dotson should be moved to the slot and be a rotational guy. 

We can't play the what if game with the QBs. That's how you get Trey Lance situations. If we had a stud QB in front of the rookie, Ala KC with Smith and Mahomes, it could possibly make sense to not play them, but we have Sam Howell. 

I have said this too many times now, but for the sake of the point, it doesn't matter who you have at QB, if the cast around them isn't better than what we had last year, the results will be the same. If you are worried about destroying a rookie QBs confidence because the team sucks around him (*cough*Carolina*cough*), maybe consider building the team for success, then finding your QBotF. 

 

I want this team to come back to the land of relevancy. If a rookie QB gets that done, awesome. I'm all for it. If we draft someone at #2 and they don't see the field a substantial amount, I don't know how we can claim to be getting better. 

The bolded I just don't really agree with. Stroud went to a team that was picking 2nd in the draft. He didn't go to some loaded team with weapons everywhere and they were just missing that one piece. Stroud made that entire team better. He made Nico Collins a better receiver. 

My whole point of disagreeing about the QB pick starting immediately was not that the guy sucked but just Sam was so good that you had to start him. In an extreme case it happened with Brees and Rivers. The idea that its not possible is crazy to me when we've seen it happen before. Its highly unlikely but possible.