The top three selections in April’s draft belong to QB-needy teams, leading many to expect the Bears, Commanders and Patriots to turn down trade offers and add a signal-caller at the top of the board. When speaking about the team’s plans, Washington head coach Dan Quinn confirmed a rookie quarterback will likely be in place by the start of the 2024 season. 
“I would say it’d be fair to envision we’d be taking a quarterback,” Quinn said during an interview with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. “To say where it’ll be happening, I think that’s a better question for [general manager] 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.”
With nine selections (including six of the first 100) in the draft, the Commanders will have plenty of opportunities to make a long-term investment under center. The likeliest point at which that will happen, though, is of course the No. 2 slot. The now Justin Fields-less Bears are on track to take Caleb Williams off the board first overall, leaving Peters, Quinn and Co. to choose between LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
The former won the Heisman in 2023 after posting by far a career-high 40 touchdown passes (along with only four interceptions). Daniels added 1,134 yards and 10 scores on the ground, but the former Arizona State transfer has drawn criticism for only having one season of stellar production. Due to his longstanding relationship with Antonio Pierce and the Raiders’ potential desire to add a first-round passer, Las Vegas could be a team willing to make a bold move up the order if the Commanders pass on him.
In that event, Washington would likely add Maye, who entered the 2023 season relatively close to Williams in many evaluations. After his second full season as the Tar Heels’ starter did not go as well as the first, though, Maye’s stock may have experienced a drop. The Patriots reportedly have concerns with him, something which would of course be relevant if Williams and Daniels came off the board first and second overall. After neither Daniels nor Maye threw at the Combine, individual meetings with both will be crucial for the Commanders and teams within their range.
Trading out of the second slot would be another possibility for the Commanders – a team which traded away Sam Howell not long after signing veteran backup Marcus Mariota. As Quinn noted, though, while inquiries have started, it would take a massive offer from an interested team to convince Washington to give up the opportunity to select one of the top signal-callers available. Plenty is yet to be determined in the coming weeks, but as things stand a QB selection should still be expected on the part of the Commanders.
New owner, new coach, still Panthers North
Dont screw the pooch now. You traded Sam, so trading down with no guarantees on who will be there is not the best idea now… played your cards too early gentlemen!
Second this was just one more ego trip on a GM wanting his pick at QB. And sorry, but we really got very little for Sam!
Two, they’re taking a QB at two. Everyone knows this. Whatever smoke screen they’re trying isn’t working.
Washington has had terrible luck in the past with QBs getting injured but they really haven’t given any of the young guys they’ve drafted support or a fair chance to develop either. I think that Howell trade will comeback to haunt them. How much patience they extend to the QB they draft this year remains to be seen but the organization can’t continue with a revolving door approach at QB and expect to be competitive.
That “terrible luck” is caused by the sandlot that the ‘Skins play on in Landover.
Face it, that club will never be strong again until it restores its original name to its rightful place.
They’ve had terrible luck with QB health and Sam actually made it through the entire season healthy…a miracle in my eyes considering the awful OL and being asked to drop back 40+ times a game with no semblance of a running game…Sam got a raw deal and will ball out by the Space Needle…
RG3 and Alex Smith can tell you how that sh!tastic FedEx Field shortened their careers.
As for Howell, he’ll be backing up Geno Smith in Seattle.
That field was basically a bog when bad weather occurred. MetLife has undergone some criticism but I don’t think it ever got as bad as the field in DC.
Most rookie QBs are best sitting a year, two, or three behind a quality vet.
However; most bad organizations now let the impatient fans, online trolls, and the useless media dictate starting times. As apposed to the people they hire to develop them.