The Washington Commanders were expected to be one of the best teams in the NFL in 2025. Unfortunately, reality caught up to them in a hurry, and they ended up near the bottom of the standings, with injuries ravaging their roster.
Now, they’ll try to get things back on track this year, but they need a strong performance at the draft to bring in the right pieces around potential franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels. For one analyst, that means bringing him a top-flight wide receiver.
Commanders Need More Help Around Jayden Daniels
During a magical 2024 season, Daniels helped the team go from four wins to a 12-win contender in the NFC, taking them all the way to the Championship Game. However, injuries caught up to his slender frame in a hurry.
As a result, he ended up suiting up for less than seven full games, tallying just 1,540 total yards and 10 touchdowns against 3 interceptions. While the raw numbers were decent, his overall impact wasn’t there as he finished at number 28 on PFSN’s QB Impact.
Some of his production could have boiled down to a lack of threats in the wide receiver room as well. Terry McLaurin, fresh off signing a contract extension with the Commanders, was only available for 10 games.
Moreover, Deebo Samuel, their prized offseason acquisition, wasn’t able to be a needle mover either, ranking at number 34 on PFSN’s WR Impact with 727 receiving yards and 6 total touchdowns in 16 games.
Ian Cummings of PFSN believes Washington needs more firepower to make the offense click at its 2024 level. As a result, in his latest mock draft, he has them going after Makai Lemon with the seventh overall pick to improve a “barren wide receiver room.”
“While Makai Lemon doesn’t have the size or vertical speed that some of Daniels’ past WRs have boasted, Lemon does have the elite leverage play and catch-point conversion to make Daniels’ job easy, while also boasting rare short-area energy, RAC, and separation freedom.”
While Cummings admitted that the defense could also use some improvements, particularly at safety and at EDGE, a deep class at both positions could allow them to get a solid option later in the draft as well.
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As his usage at USC got higher, Lemon became more dynamic by the year. Ranked as the third-best wide receiver prospect by PFSN, he finished his final season on the Trojans with 1,156 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
It remains to be seen whether the Commanders prioritize their offense or try to improve a defense that ranked among the bottom 3 units on PFSN’s Defense Impact. Both options are viable given their recent history, but a wide receiver with the top-10 pick can be a vital investment from this organization.
