The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The NFL Scouting Combine is officially underway, giving the Washington Commanders a closeup look at hundreds of athletes all working to make their case that they deserve to play at the professional level. Here are five position groups fans of the Burgundy & Gold should watch over the next few days.
Edge rusher
The Commanders put together a decent pass rush last offseason with the likes of Frankie Luvu, Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr., but Fowler is set to be a free agent after one of the most successful campaigns of his career. The Commanders have the ability to re-sign him, but even if that situation does come to fruition, they could add another young player to the rotation.
Abdul Carter, the top-ranked edge rusher from Penn State, will be off the board by the time the Commanders are on the clock. The talent pool for the position is deep this year, though, so there will likely be several top-tier pass-rushers available. Players like Oluwafemi Oladejo, who has a prototypical build at 260 pounds and 33.5-inch arms, have steadily risen up draft boards and could be a late first-round prospect with a strong combine performance. Others, like Ohio State's Jack Sawyer, who received the highest grade on the Buckeyes' roster from Pro Football Focus, are currently projected to be drafted at the end of the first round.
It was clear last season that Washington's defense is more of a work in progress than the offense. So, why not start by adding a player who could help put pressure on opposing quarterbacks?
Wide receiver
As things currently stand, Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey are the only two Commanders receivers guaranteed to be on the roster in 2025. Of course, they will try to re-sign some of those players set to be free agents, but they still need to add depth at that position, particularly when it comes to finding a solid answer at the No. 2 spot.
One thing the Commanders were missing in 2024 was a big, tall target for Jayden Daniels to target downfield. There are some players available projected to go in later rounds who could fit that mold. For example, Ole Miss' Tre Harris is 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds with 25 touchdowns in the last three seasons with the Rebels. The knock on him is that he needs to develop as a route runner, but he has a good mixture of size and speed that will intrigue teams.
Emeka Egbuka, who has been a somewhat popular pick for Washington in mock drafts, could also be available. He's two inches shorter and five pounds lighter than Harris, but he had two 1,000-yard seasons with the Buckeyes and uses quick feet to get open.
The Commanders found their quarterback last year; now they need to arm him with weapons.
Offensive line
There's an obvious personnel need for the Commanders to address the offensive line with Sam Cosmi's ACL injury, but they needed to add depth at the spot before he went down against the Lions. Like the pass rush, Washington found short-term answers at the offensive line and had success there, but the group also played a role in Daniels being sacked 47 times.
Also similar to the pass rush, the Commanders draft too far into the first round to take one of the top offensive tackles. Still, the offensive line is a popular position for the Commanders to address in mock drafts. Some have them taking Oregon's Josh Conerly Jr., who excelled as a pass protector with the Ducks and allowed just one sack in 2024. The Commanders took Brandon Coleman to fill the left tackle spot last year, but his size could allow him to be moved to guard if the Commanders take that route.
Minnesota's Aireontae Ersery is another solid pass protector who allowed just four sacks in 39 starts. He's strong and fits the typical mold for an NFL offensive tackle at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, but he could move up boards if he impresses in Indianapolis.
Although there are several factors the Commanders need to address this offseason, protecting Daniels will be a top priority for as long as he's in the backfield.
