The Washington Commanders have options to fill a handful of needs. It's a testament to the work that general manager Adam Peters to get to this point.
Free agency gave the Washington Commanders a chance to address several needs on both sides of the ball, especially with the addition of three edge rushers at the start of free agency. It was a welcomed development for head coach Dan Quinn.
"Amen. He delivered," Quinn said on day one of NFL owners meetings during media interviews.
Hitting the positions of need in free agency also gives Washington a chance to enter next month's NFL Draft with flexibility. Sure, who ends up staying available when it comes time for Washington select with the seventh overall pick is hard to pin down, especially with the first round still weeks away.
General manager Adam Peters knows that too, but he also admitted that the early offseason returns give him and the rest of the Commanders front office flexibility with the first pick.
"For where we sit, we don't feel like we need to reach for anything," Peters said.
"We don't have to pick for need. We don't have to pick a certain position. We're in that position now. Pick number seven is a big pick. Finding someone who can really impact our team - impact our team right away and impact our team long-term."
Which is how it should be, and frankly, was the ideal scenario for Washington ahead of an offseason filled with a need to foster restock depth and add top end talent at premium positions.
How it plays out will be intriguing for Washington with a chance to add a bonafide playmaker if several different scenarios play out, adding intrigue to the draft process. Both Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate have been recent mock drafts for Washington, while Adam Peters raved about Buckeye linebacker Sonny Styles when asked on the Kay and Adams Show.
Peters admitted that fans can debate what needs remain and what the priority order is with wide receiver and cornerback among the positions most frequently pointed to for Washington in the first round.
But so is running back. Head coach Dan Quinn reiterated the need to answer "who can make the impact" with the seventh overall pick when asked about positional value, an indirect way of getting clarity on whether Jeremiyah Love can materialize into a realistic pick for Washington. Adam Peters also noted, "you can get running backs a lot of different ways," pointing to Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the Commanders' seventh round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Washington also added a pair of free agent running backs while re-signing Jeremy McNichols to restock the room, giving a committee approach in 2026 if Love doesn't materialize as the pick.
Safety Caleb Downs, a one-time obvious draft candidate who has drawn less buzz with Washington as the draft inches closer, could also provide another upgrade alongside Nick Cross in the safety room. But again, Peters reiterated the flexibility that the front office enters with next month. With top-30 visits ongoing after several Buckeyes got in-person eyes during last week's Pro Day, how the first round materializes remains a wildcard. But what remains clear is what Peters noted on Monday: Washington has another chance to add a difference maker to the roster.