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Commanders will ‘more likely than not’ stay and pick at No. 7 in draft, GM says
Two years ago, Adam Peters had a clear vision of the prospect he wanted to select with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. Jayden Daniels was the obvious fit, given his skill set and the team’s need for a franchise quarterback.
This year, with Washington having a top-10 pick for the second time in three years, the vision is a little hazier. The Commanders have the No. 7 selection in the first round and would be justified in taking
virtually any of the top 20 prospects, but deciphering the intentions of the six teams slated to pick before them has been an especially difficult task.
What Peters does anticipate, however, is that the Commanders will “more likely than not” select at No. 7 versus moving up or down via trade. Whether they do or not will, of course, depend on which players remain available when they’re on the clock and if another team makes an offer.
“Then we’d have to decide if we want to do that,” Peters said. “But I would say more likely than not we’d stay and pick. I don’t foresee us moving up, but moving back just depends on the circumstances. But … we’re not actively trying to move back. We’re always assessing our options and making sure we’re ready, and then understanding who’s going to be there at certain positions and certain spots toward the middle to the later part of the first round.”
This contradicts other reports that Love is the right fit and that the Commanders are not expected to select Downs. Nobody has the first clue. And as Washington fans know, that’s precisely how Peters likes it.
The intrigue is building. Nothing is guaranteed after Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza goes No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders. Peters admitted as much during his pre-draft media availability, and he is experienced enough to trust his board and react to what’s unfolding with minimal fuss. But with no second-round pick, getting this decision right is crucial.
Commanders.com
5 takeaways from Washington’s pre-draft press conference
- Prepping for every scenario.
The public aren’t the only ones who pay attention to mock drafts. Like every other team, the Commanders keep track of them as well, and it’s part of their efforts to stay ready for every possible scenario that can happen next Thursday.
“We monitor everything…so we can have an idea of where guys are getting mocked, where guys are seen around the league to media, to the draft experts,” Peters said.
It’s not a perfect science, of course; national media and teams often have different perspectives on players. However, it does help inform the Commanders and remove some of the biases on certain prospects. It also provides insight on their practice runs ahead of the draft. They run several simulations, including some with trades, to discuss what they would do if that situation were presented to them on draft night. That work is happening now, and it might be even more important with the timer between picks being cut from 10 minutes to eight.
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
NFL Draft Profile: CB Mansoor Delane
LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane is widely considered the top cornerback in this draft class. The Commanders do have two young cornerbacks on the roster in Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos, both second-round picks, but the depth beyond them is questionable. So while much of the focus this offseason has been about edge rushers, linebackers and wide receivers, cornerback is a sneaky need for Washington. Could Delane then be an under the radar option for the Commanders with the seventh overall pick and if so, what would he bring to Washington? Let’s take a closer look.
Delane measured in at the combine at 5’11¾”, 187 pounds. That means he’s not one of these freak athletes that is 6’3”, 200 pounds with super long arms. But Delane is still a good athlete and is very sound across the board in everything he does. Personally, I think Delane is at his best playing from off coverage, where he has vision on both the receiver and the quarterback and can attack anything quick underneath.
From a Commanders perspective, these traits directly translate to the scheme we believe Daronte Jones is going to run in Washington. Jones is expected to install a similar scheme to the one he helped run in Minnesota with the Vikings. It’s a very aggressive blitzing scheme that forces the ball out quickly. Having corners on the outside that can play off and with vision and then drive down on those quick passes is what the Commanders will likely be looking for. Delane is clearly capable of that, but he can also do a lot more.
He’s got strong instincts and a natural feel for zone and match coverages, which is what we’re expecting from the Commanders this season. He understands when he can abandon his zone to make a play underneath, as we just saw, but also has the awareness of when he needs to peel off a receiver underneath to sink back towards a deeper threat.
Commanders Roundtable
Three Intriguing Running Back Fits for Washington on Day 3
J’Mari Taylor, RB — Virginia | Projected: Round 5-7
Nobody’s story in this draft class is better than Taylor’s. Zero recruiting stars. Walked on at North Carolina Central. Spent two years rotating in before becoming the starter. Broke out with 1,146 yards and 15 touchdowns at NCCU in 2024, transferred to Virginia, and immediately became UVA’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2018 — ripping off 1,062 rushing yards and 15 more touchdowns in the ACC. He finished with 1,335 total scrimmage yards and earned First Team All-ACC. Lance Zierlein called him a three-down back with compact power and elite balance.
The tape shows a back who runs behind his pads, wins short-yardage situations with regularity, and doesn’t go down on first contact. He brought 97 career receptions into the draft with a career average of over 8 yards per catch — he can stay on the field on third down. His 150-yard, three-touchdown game at NC State and a 78-yard touchdown run against Duke are the kinds of plays that get scouts out of their chairs.
He is on the older side for a rookie, will be turning 24 this season. The pass protection technique still needs refinement. His hips can be stiff in space, which limits the elusiveness after contact you want from a three-down back. But for a mid-to-late Day 3 pick, Taylor’s grit, production, and versatility offer the floor of a reliable backup and the ceiling of a legitimate committee piece. The comp is Bucky Irving — a vision-and-balance runner who makes the most of every snap he gets and earns the trust of coaches on third down. Washington has plenty of momentum in the backfield. Taylor could be the depth piece that makes it sustainable.
Heavy.com
Commanders Get Good News on Jeremiyah Love Before NFL Draft
The Washington Commanders are keen on selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love if he’s available at No. 7 in the NFL draft, which begins one week from now, and the franchise got good news on that front Thursday via a report involving the Tennessee Titans.
Tennessee picks at No. 4 and is one of two teams ahead of Washington in the draft order that might decide to spend a selection on Love, who is head and shoulders above every other RB prospect in the 2026 class.
However, Jason LaCanfora of SportsBoom reported April 16 that the Titans are not going to land on Love, even despite considerable speculation to the contrary, and will go with a defensive player instead.
“They’re going defense,” LaCanfora quoted a longtime personnel executive. “I love the running back, but [Robert] Saleh isn’t taking a running back there. If you study how this plays out, with a new head coach, that first pick is almost always on his side of the ball. There’s going to be a run on defensive players after (presumptive first-overall pick, quarterback Fernando) Mendoza, and he’s going to be in it.”
“I’d be really surprised if they went running back,” the GM said, per LaCanfora.
“Several people tell me the [Commanders] will jump all over Jeremiyah Love if he falls into their laps, with the direct quote being, ‘The team loves Love,’” Pauline wrote Wednesday. “He’d be an additional weapon for Jayden Daniels, who’s coming off an injury-plagued season, and would end Washington’s running-back-by-committee approach.”
The Athletic (paywall)
The Commanders’ new uniforms are fire, but going back to the future can stir up old flames
The Commanders certainly inched as close as they could to their old name and logo with their unveiling Wednesday of the team’s 2026 regular and alternate jerseys and new helmets. It was little surprise that the team officially will be going back to its white, former “throwback” jerseys, the ones it wore while winning three Super Bowl titles in the 1980s and ’90s, and wore multiple times last season — as one of its primary uniforms next season. A burgundy jersey will be the other primary set.
[T]he team’s intention is obvious: wring as much nostalgia — and dollars — out of its fan base as possible, while trying to limit further alienating the still-vocal swaths who desperately, angrily in many cases, all but demand the Commanders go back to the franchise’s former name.
No matter how many times Josh Harris says it — and he’s done so multiple times publicly since buying the team from Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion in 2023 — the team isn’t changing the name back. That means there will be no pleasing those who, congenitally, have to call the team “Redskins” for their own reasons.
But by trying to make everything old new again, the team moves closer to the flame — a difficult needle to thread, especially for a team coming off of a 5-12 season.
It will be a lot, lot easier for the Commanders if they can right the ship on the field next year. Next Thursday’s draft, with Washington currently sitting with the seventh pick in the first round, must be as solid as the team’s foray into the first round of free agency last month.
Ideally, Daniels and Bill and Laremy Tunsil and Odafe Oweh and Josh Conerly and Trey Amos and Leo Chenal and Jaylin Lane — and whoever Washington takes with its high first-rounder early next Thursday evening — can get everyone’s attention back on the field, where it was not all that long ago when this team went on a wild run to the NFC title game. Not all that long ago, it was all about the people inside the uniforms and helmets, not the gear or anything else.
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Blogging the Boys
The Pickens Standoff: Strategy, Leverage, and the Jones Way
While 75% of tagged players eventually reach a deal by the July 15 deadline, the Cowboys-Pickens situation is uniquely volatile for three reasons:
1. The “Jerry Bargain” Factor
Jerry Jones has used the franchise tag more than any owner in the NFL (12 times to KC’s 7). More importantly, he actually forces players to play under it. He’s done so seven times, viewing the tag as the ultimate bargain: elite production with zero long-term risk and no massive upfront signing bonus.
2. The Mulugheta Dilemma
For David Mulugheta, playing under the tag is a failure. It leaves his client underpaid, without security, and stuck with a team that hasn’t reached a conference championship in 30 years. If the Cowboys “tag and repeat” next year at an estimated $33M, Pickens effectively becomes a year-to-year bargain mercenary.
3. The Strategy: “Ball Out” vs. “Protect the Asset”
Conventional wisdom suggests Pickens should “prove it” in 2026 to secure a massive 2027 contract. However, that plays right into Jerry’s hands. If Pickens plays at an All-Pro level, Jerry will simply tag him again—at $33M, he is still a bargain.
The smarter play for the Pickens camp is to make the relationship untenable:
- Weaponize the Unsigned Tag: Hold out until the last possible moment to maintain leverage for a potential trade.
- The “Business” Holdout: Skip training camp entirely to avoid unnecessary wear and tear.
- Strategic Preservation: Maintain high-level tape, but treat every minor tweak or “niggle” with extreme caution. If the team won’t commit long-term, the player cannot risk his health for a single game.
By making the relationship uncomfortable and productive only in flashes, Pickens signals that he isn’t a long-term fixture in Dallas. This forces the Joneses to realize the 2027 tag isn’t a bargain—it’s a liability—eventually forcing a trade or a release.
The Bottom Line: This isn’t just a contract dispute; it’s a game of chicken. If the Joneses won’t offer the “big bag” and long-term security, Mulugheta’s only move is to make keeping Pickens more of a headache than he’s worth.
Big Blue View
NY Giants Dexter Lawrence ‘does indeed want out of New York’, per report
New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence “does indeed want out of New York,” according to reporting from CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Lawrence, who has requested a trade and is not attending voluntary offseason workouts, has been said to want an contract extension and a raise from his current four-year, $90 million deal, which carries an average annual value of $22.5 million.
Here is what Jones wrote about the Lawrence situation:
Dexter Lawrence’s trade request was not just an attempt for more money from the team. Two sources tell me he does indeed want out of New York. But the Giants do not necessarily agree, and they don’t have to make a deal by next week.
Here’s what I’ve gathered: The Giants do not seem too keen on paying Lawrence high-market price coming off his worst statistical season of his career, but they aren’t going to give him away. If they can get a great offer for him — something that includes at least a first-round pick — I think they will deal him.
The acquiring team will likely have to pay Lawrence a salary in the high-20s upon trading for him. That would be OK for a contending team needing an interior defensive lineman and realizing this is not the year to hope you’ll get one in the draft.
Quinnen Williams went for a first and second back at the trade deadline, and that generally seems like a fair price for Lawrence. What will be interesting is if the Giants take a 2026 second rounder and demand a 2027 first. If that’s the case, and if the Giants do deal Lawrence, they wouldn’t have to do the transaction until Friday.
If we get through Friday night with no deal, I would not expect one any time soon. Both sides can pick up where they left off on talks and try to find a middle ground as the spring continues.
By Friday, Jones was referring to the second night of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Thursday afternoon, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post seconded Jones’ reporting:
If Dexter Lawrence has his wish, he will not suit up for the Giants again.
He wants out.
His desire for a new contract from the only NFL team he has ever played for resulted in talks but nothing substantial from a financial standpoint. And now, he wants to turn the page and move on.
It is past the point of any further negotiations with the Giants, a source told the Post on Thursday, stressing “Dexter wants to be traded.”
Why would the Giants, or any team, want to delay getting a first-round pick?
Because the 2027 Draft is expected to be quarterback rich at the top and perhaps deeper overall than this year’s draft. So, the chance of adding impact talent might be greater a year from now.
Bleeding Green Nation
Ranking 17 edge rushers in the 2026 NFL Draft
Tier 5: Rounds 3-4
16. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Overall: A high-level athlete who lit up the combine with complete edge traits, but his testing numbers don’t currently match what he shows on film. There’s a disconnect between the measurables and the tape that makes him difficult to evaluate.
Eagles Thoughts: Dennis-Sutton is a tough player to get a read on. He looks the part physically, but he doesn’t play like it consistently right now. I wouldn’t look his way until the third round, though he’ll go earlier than that due to his size and athletic profile.
17. LT Overton, Alabama
Overall: A big EDGE or small tackle? Overton has an unusual frame that makes him genuinely hard to categorize. His power and edge-setting ability make him a credible run defender, but the pass-rush game is limited, and the positional fit at the next level is unclear.
Eagles Thoughts: If you want a bigger, physical presence to play the run and set the edge, Overton is the man. But there isn’t a lot else in the profile.
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NFL Draft Week Brings Tension, Trade Rumors, Pittsburgh Frenzy
Steelers: They are still in a wait-and-see mode at quarterback as veteran Aaron Rodgers is due to give the team an answer on his 2026 plans by next week. In the meantime, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has made a pre-draft visit with the team. The Steelers also have quarterbacks Will Howard, selected in last year’s draft, and Mason Rudolph on the roster. Pittsburgh picks at No. 21 in the first round and has a league-leading 12 selections overall.
The Pittsburgh area, meanwhile, continues to prepare for what will be one of the largest visitor events in its history. Crowd estimates are still hovering between 500,000 and 700,000 people for the entire weekend. Like at prior NFL Drafts, that estimate is a cumulative figure that counts fans entering the official draft area each day. As a result, any individual fan who attends more than one day of the three-day event will be counted multiple times.
Unique to Pittsburgh, however, is a two-site event plan that will use both the area outside of Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers’ home facility, and Point State Park at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers. The Roberto Clemente Bridge, which helps connect the two, will be closed to vehicular traffic to create a pedestrian fan corridor.
The Athletic (paywall)
Ex-Alabama player allegedly posed as NFL players in $20 million loan fraud scheme
Luther Davis, a former Alabama defensive tackle who won a national championship with the Crimson Tide in 2010, is accused in federal court of posing as NFL players to collect nearly $20 million in fraudulent loans.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office claimed in a March filing that Davis and co-conspirator CJ Evins wore wigs and makeup to impersonate the players, identified only as X.M., D.N. and M.P., between May 2023 and October 2024. None of those players is accused of criminal activity.
According to the Georgia filing, Davis and Evins schemed to obtain at least 13 loans from lenders who believed they were speaking directly with those players. When the lenders set up Zoom calls with the supposed athletes and notaries to finalize the loan authorizations, Davis allegedly dressed up and provided fake IDs and financial documents to conceal his identity. Those documents included stolen and fabricated driver’s license numbers featuring pictures of the players that were “easily found online.”
Once the loans were approved, prosecutors said, the funds flowed through a network of sham businesses the pair controlled and into their personal accounts. Davis and Evins allegedly used that money to purchase real estate, vehicles and jewelry.
