{"id":846931,"date":"2026-04-01T11:18:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/846931\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T11:18:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:18:20","slug":"two-plus-rounds-with-commanders-cowboys-making-moves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/846931\/","title":{"rendered":"Two-plus rounds with Commanders, Cowboys making moves"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Commanders have weighty decisions ahead before determing best practices for the No. 7 overall pick (From Ben Standig)<\/p>\n

PHOENIX \u2014 The clues are always there if you listen closely enough.<\/p>\n

Not in the headlines or the formal answers, but in the tenor. The phrasing. The nuanced emphasis when decision-makers discuss roster building, scheme tweaks and what really went wrong the year before.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the value of the NFL Annual League Meeting \u2014 a few days where coaches and general managers speak publicly (though not often candidly), but more importantly, reveal just enough to shape how the next month might unfold.<\/p>\n

For the Washington Commanders, the message this week was consistent with everything we\u2019ve heard since January: get younger, get faster, and build a roster that doesn\u2019t put the entire burden on Jayden Daniels.<\/p>\n

That context matters when projecting the draft.<\/p>\n

Washington enters April with significant cap space, only two picks inside the top 100, and multiple workable ways at No. 7 overall. Trade down remains firmly in play. So does a best-player-available swing at a premium position \u2014 or even a wild card if the board breaks a certain way.<\/p>\n

This mock explores those possibilities without ignoring the desires of the other 31 teams.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s movement. There\u2019s volatility. And for Washington, there\u2019s a scenario that reflects what the organization has been alluding to all along \u2014 even if it hasn\u2019t said it outright.<\/p>\n

The \u201clottery picks\u201d include a main debate question under the selection. <\/p>\n

Check out our \u201cNFL Draft<\/a>\u201d tab on the home page for the first six mocks and other draft-related content.<\/p>\n

1. Raiders \u2014 Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
No debate here at No. 1. There shouldn\u2019t be much with their next two selections either. Add offensive line and receiver help for the Heisman winner.<\/p>\n

2. Jets \u2014 Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
Is the athletic upside worth the positional uncertainty for a defender projected to play edge despite doing so sparingly in college?<\/p>\n

3. Cardinals \u2014 Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
Higher value: OT at 3 and edge at 34, or vice versa? Projections suggest more defensive line options early in Round 2 than offensive tackles.<\/p>\n

4. Titans \u2014 Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Bolster talent around QB Cam Ward or add a front-seven defender? The former points to RB Jeremiyah Love. Roster economics say look elsewhere. If defense, is it size (Rueben Bain), speed (David Bailey) or freakish athleticism (Styles)?<\/p>\n

5. Giants \u2014 Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Would the John Harbaugh era really start with a receiver over the offensive line or defense?<\/p>\n

6. Browns \u2014 David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
Everyone pencils in WR or tackle. What if Cleveland simply takes the highest-graded pass rusher?<\/p>\n

TRADE \u2014 Commanders (7) to Rams for No. 13, No. 61, 2027 4th<\/p>\n

7. Rams (from Commanders) \u2014 Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame<\/p>\n

What happens when an all-in mentality meets a \u201cF them picks\u201d strategy? With Matthew Stafford nearing the end, the Rams push chips in. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are solid \u2014 neither has Love\u2019s home-run ability. Maybe trade Williams to Jacksonville \u2014 the Jags have five picks between 56 and 124 \u2014 where he can replace Travis Etienne and reunite with his rookie year offensive coordinator, Liam Cohen.<\/p>\n

Hang on, Commanders fans\u2026<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Commanders have weighty decisions ahead before determing best practices for the No. 7 overall pick (From Ben…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":846932,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2069],"tags":[427,7,6,855,111,2480],"class_list":{"0":"post-846931","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-washington-commanders","8":"tag-commanders","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-nfl","11":"tag-washington","12":"tag-washington-commanders","13":"tag-washingtoncommanders"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116329180968145316","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/846931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=846931"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/846931\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/846932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=846931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=846931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=846931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}