If the 2025 NFL season could be described as a disaster, the NFC East division would rank the Washington Commanders third. With just five wins, the team failed to meet its supporters’ expectations. While many fans have a perspective on what the team could do to become a force in 2026, analysts have their own take.
A developed wide receiver arsenal could strengthen the attack, and analysts have found a perfect pick for the Commanders: Carnell Tate, the junior receiver with 51 receptions for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns in the 2025 season with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Mina Kimes Describes Why Carnell Tate Is the Perfect Fit for the Commanders
On ESPN’s “The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny,” Kimes discussed the idea of a wide receiver for the Commanders with analyst Mike Golic Jr. Both essentially reached the same conclusion: an offensive revamp.
“To me, I looked right up top, and offensively, I went wide receiver,” Golic Jr. said, when asked about the primary needs of the Commanders.
He continued with an overview from 2025:
“After things went down last year, you’ve got Terry McLaurin, who is going to be 31 this year. And outside of that, you know, Deebo Samuel and the rest of this offense really weren’t able to give a lot of openings to Jayden Daniels, who obviously, the bigger story with him last year was being compromised by injury.”
While Golic Jr. did not pinpoint a specific player who could fill the void for the Commanders, he knew the criteria the team should use to make the right pick.
“I think now, as that offense changes shape again, post Kliff Kingsbury, trying to pair him up with a young weapon who’s going to be on a similar timeline to grow with him,” he said.
“Obviously, they spent a lot of this offseason attacking defensive needs, which is unsurprising given who the head coach is and the pressure that was mounting on that side. But to me, I had a wide receiver, really an offensive weapon with a bullet for that team.”
If the top 3 pass rushers are gone, I think OSU WR Carnell Tate would be a *tremendous* fit in Washington. pic.twitter.com/IBRX331dw7
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) March 26, 2026
Listening to this, Kimes picked the player she thought resonated with the Commanders’ playing style:
“Wide receiver was my first one. Carnell Tate, the Ohio State receiver. Would be such a great pairing with Terry McLaurin. I think there’s reasonable questions about whether he’s like your true prototypical X receiver. Does he have the physicality, the downfield speed, etc.? I think at minimum, he is an excellent 1B.
“I love him as a Z to McLaurin’s X. The smoothness, the route running, the hands. And he has a downfield threat just in a different way, but that would be such a good pairing,” she concluded.
While many other teams eye a talented wide receiver for the 2026 season, which team picks Carnell first will be a treat to watch.
