Getty
Sam LaPorta of the Detroit Lions.
The Washington Commanders have a minimal store of picks in next April’s NFL draft, and what they do with the No. 7 overall selection will have major implications next season.
Some draft analysts predict that the team will be able to acquire Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at that spot. However, others like ESPN’s Mina Kimes don’t think the franchise can justify the lost contract value by drafting a running back instead of a player at a more expensive position, such as edge-rusher.
Eric Edholm of NFL Network suggested another path altogether, in which the Commanders trade out of the 7th pick with the Detroit Lions, moving back to No. 17 in exchange for tight end Sam LaPorta.
Edholm’s deal sees Washington bring back No. 17, LaPorta and a sixth-rounder, while Detroit lands the No. 7 pick, a third-round asset and tight end Ben Sinnott.
LaPorta has been great, and losing him hurts Detroit’s offense, but the big picture must be considered: LaPorta is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is coming off back surgery.
It’s not hard to imagine why the Commanders would want LaPorta, especially with David Blough (who was on Detroit’s practice squad LaPorta’s rookie season) calling plays. Washington should still find a receiver or defensive help readily at No. 17.
Commanders Could Potentially Draft Linebacker CJ Allen After Trading With Lions for Sam LaPorta
GettyGeorgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen.
Kimes suggested Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles as an option for Washington at No. 7 in her most recent podcast, and the Commanders could probably nab the second or third LB off the board in that range.
Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has Georgia linebacker CJ Allen going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 15, while Bleacher Report’s latest mock predicts Allen to land with the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21.
“Allen is a three-down linebacker who mixes speed with power to make plays in coverage, against the run and as a blitzer,” Kiper wrote. “He might be LB3 in the class, but he’s a top-25 prospect overall.”
If Washington thinks it can get that kind of value at a position of need with the Lions’ 17th pick, plus land a former All-Pro (2023) in LaPorta who is only 25 years old and can very possibly rise to an elite level again in 2026, then a blockbuster move like the one Edholm suggests might make plenty of sense.
Commanders Already Inked Tight End to $27 Million Deal in Free Agency
GettyWashington Commanders tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo.
Such a deal, however, would essentially render LaPorta and Allen, or whoever Washington ended up choosing at No. 17, as the entirety of the Commanders’ return through the first four rounds of the 2026 draft.
Washington has only pick Nos. 7 and 71 in Rounds 1 and 3, respectively, at its disposal before selecting at Nos. 147, 187, 209 and 223 in Rounds 5-7.
The team had an active offseason, adding a handful of players to its pass-rush rotation, with Odafe Oweh as the highest-profile name among the group.
Washington also signed tight end Chig Okonkwo to a three-year contract worth $27 million, which might argue against dealing for LaPorta who is extension-eligible now and in for a big payday as an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
Spotrac projects LaPorta’s market value at $51 million over a new three-year deal, figures that could go up if he returns to his All-Pro form next season.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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