Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters and assistant general manager Lance Newmark addressed the media ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Here are five takeaways from their press conference.

1. The board is set.

It's been a year-long process for the Commanders to get to this point. Peters praised everyone who played a part in getting the team ready for this year's draft, from the scouting department to the equipment staff.

And now, after all that work on evaluating this year's group of prospects, the Commanders' board is set.

"[Over] the next 48 hours, we're really just refining our board and making sure we're challenging ourselves on different scenarios," Peters said. "The board is pretty much set; just a little tinkering here and there."

The Commanders might need to be prepared for more scenarios than normal, but Peters said there's "little certainty after the first 10 picks or so." That's been the take of several analysts, who believe there's little difference between whoever is picked at No. 11 and No. 35. Things are projected to even out in the middle rounds, but the top of the draft could be as unpredictable as it's been in years.

Washington has prepared for this by addressing several of their needs in free agency and trades. While there are certainly some players they hope will fall to them No. 29, the don't feel forced to address any one position.

"We've given ourselves optionality to pick anywhere," Peters said. "I don't think we have a philosophy of going for 'premium positions' in any round."

2. Trading back is on the table...along with everything else.

Peters smiled when asked whether he wanted to trade back from the No. 29 overall pick. It's a question he's been asked before, and it doesn't sound like he's ruling it -- or anything else -- out as a possibility. Trading up seems less likely, but he joked that maybe they would consider it if Penn State's Abdul Carter dropped to the late 20s.

Trading back seems like a smart move; Washington only has five picks in this year's draft with no third-rounder. Peters said adding picks "is something you'd like to do," but the reality is that there are other factors that go into that decision, the biggest being that Washington would need to find a partner.

For now, it doesn't seem like any team is willing to move up or down. All 32 teams still have their own first-round pick for the first time in the common draft era. It's unknown whether that will change, if at all, but part of the Commanders' to-do list over the next two days will be to make calls to teams to gauge interest on moving down or up.

And he isn't ruling out making a trade with a team in the NFC East like he did last year with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I don't personally believe in being scared about trading with a team within the division," Peters said. "If you think the trade's a good value for you...then definitely consider it."

3. The draft is deep at pass rusher.

Peters doesn't normally reveal many specific thoughts on draft classes, but he took some time to discuss the depth of this year's group of pass-rushers.

"It's a deep class, which is cool," Peters said. "There's something, I think, for everybody, whether you're a 4-3 or 3-4 team or multiple. There's guys that are great against the pass; there are guys that are really good against the run."

The position has been a popular pick for the Commanders in mock drafts. They did add to the position with the likes of Jacob Martin and Deatrich Wise, but the belief is that they could still use help in terms of their pass-rush and run defense. Analysts have connected them to Tennessee's James Pearce Jr., Boston College's Donovan Ezieruaku and others at No. 29 overall.

Like Peters said, though, the Commanders don't feel obligated to address any one position with their first-round pick. And when it comes to edge rushers, he thinks there will be options in other rounds.

"Whether you're taking that high in the draft or somewhere deeper, there's gonna be good players there."

4. Big expectations for last year's class.

Assuming the Commanders' draft class consists of only five players, that will put more pressure on last year's draft class to develop and produce. Peters does not seem concerned about the group's ability to improve.

"Really excited about each of their futures," Peters said. "They're the types of guys we want. They're Commanders."

Peters was asked specifically about defensive tackle Johnny Newton, tight end Ben Sinnott and linebacker Jordan Magee, all of whom were either hampered by injuries or a need to develop in the offseason. Peters mentioned that all three had been in the building for months, even though the team just started its offseason workout program.

Peters believes each player will experience a jump in their production, and Newmark chimed in as well by saying that Magee, Newton and Sinnott are "extremely dedicated to getting better."

"They've worked really hard this offseason to improve physically, mentally, every part of the game," Newmark said. "They want to be contributors next year, and they're doing everything they can to do that."

5. On concerns about character issues with draft prospects.

Character issues are a concern that gets brought up every year with draft prospects, and it's something every team needs to address. And like everything else with the draft, figuring out whether the reports are real involves a lot of research.

"It really starts with the scouts," Peters said. "They dig up anything they can to find out what makes each of these guys tick."

"Character concerns" is a broad term that could mean several things. Most connect it with off-field issues, but there are football and learning aspects that go with it as well. That's why the scouts search for any bit of information they can, whether it's at prospects' colleges or hometowns, to determine how much of it is real.

Everything, Peters said, is a case-by-case scenario, and reports of character concern might not always be accurate or dictate a player's future. Peters gave an example of a time when he was part of San Francisco's front office when they drafted a player with "character concerns." That player turned out to be "one of the best players at his position, one of the best teammates I've ever seen, one of the best locker room guys, and just an outstanding human being."

So, regardless of whether the Commanders end up drafting a player with such concerns, fans should feel confident the team has done its research to ensure that that player is the best option for them and fits their culture.