How far will the Washington Commanders go for a QB in 2022?

How far should the Washington Commanders go to get their franchise quarterback in free agency this offseason?

There are a few constants in the NFL over the last few decades. The Cleveland Browns disappoint their fans. The Las Vegas Raiders make baffling decisions during the NFL Draft. Tom Brady wins games. The Dallas Cowboys fall apart in the playoffs. And the Washington Commanders don’t have a quarterback.

In the 2000s, Washington’s best quarterback was one year of Robert Griffin III. That’s the closest they’ve come to having an “elite” QB.

Outside of that, Kirk Cousins was above-average for a few years. Mark Brunell did his job. Jason Campbell was “eh” but didn’t get much help especially when it came to all the different coaches he had. Patrick Ramsey, Danny Wuerffel, Shane Matthews, Brad Johnson, Tony Banks, and Donovan McNabb also took the helm at some point.

Washington Commanders QB search continues

If you want to really get into the wild stuff, we could remind everyone that John Beck was once the QB. So was Rex Grossman. Todd Collins, Alex Smith, Colt McCoy, Josh Johnson, Case Keenum, and even Mark Sanchez. Of course, Dwayne Haskins had a go. Kyle Allen, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Garrett Gilbert, and Taylor Heinicke all made appearances in the last season.

So as you can see, things aren’t really getting better.

This offseason Washington has a chance to make a big change though. The Commanders have long had QB problems. And now they’re in a position to draft someone at the 11 spot in the NFL Draft. Or they could go the route of free agency and trade – especially considering some of the potential options.

So the question is, how far should they go to get that veteran QB?

Obviously, the answer to this question depends on the quarterback they go after. We’re going to only talk about trade possibilities here. So the big three are Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, and Russell Wilson.

Right off the bat, there are some red flags with each that make me believe Washington should absolutely go after them – but only at the right cost. It also needs to be mentioned that we’re only talking about first-round picks here. Obviously, the Commanders will need to throw in some extra picks or some other incentives to get these players. But we’re just talking about first-round pick caps.

Aaron Rodgers to the Washington Commanders

For Rodgers, that red flag is his apparent want to make $50-million a year. Getting him from the Green Bay Packers would already cost a team a couple of first-round picks. Now you’re handicapping your money. Good luck getting contracts for guys like Terry McLaurin (who you absolutely need to keep) when you’re paying a single person $50-million.

This one is simple. Rodgers is 38, so you can’t really expect to get a long run with him. But you’d expect the Commanders would talk to him before pulling the trigger on a trade. If you can sign him to a more reasonable extension, you need to start figuring out a plan.

Three firsts is a lot, but he is a four-time MVP (including one this year). That being said, no more than two. Rodgers is 38 and has hinted at retirement multiple times. Don’t spend three first-rounders on someone who might not even be with the organization by the time those three years are up.

Deshaun Watson to the Washington Commanders

Watson is pretty obvious. All the issues surrounding him are pretty well-documented. And even if you believe he is 100% innocent, there are still problems. I’m not even talking about the media circus. How about the fact that he hasn’t played a football game since January 3rd of 2021? By the start of the 2022 regular season, it will be a layoff of over 600 days.

Watson was one of the best quarterbacks in football before the allegations. Now he has those hanging over his head though – and a long layoff could hurt his game a bit. Personally, I’d rather not have a QB with his baggage on the team. It will be hard for the Commanders to pass up on him if he’s available though.

The Houston Texans are apparently asking for a lot when it comes to the QB. Washington should only consider making a move if the price goes down. Three firsts would be worth it though.

Russell Wilson to the Washington Commanders

Wilson’s the least “red flag” of the three. He did have an injury that forced him to miss games (three) for the first time in his career this year though. And the 33-year-old threw for just 3,113 yards in 14 games, a new career-low. His 25 touchdown passes were the third-lowest of his career as well. It could be the beginning of the downswing of his career.

Now for Wilson, he could still give you a lot. And could absolutely have a resurgence. 33 isn’t exactly old for a quarterback. Rodgers himself is 38 and just won his fourth MVP award. A change of scenery could be exactly what he needs.

Coming off that season though (still great but hinting at a decline) means the price shouldn’t be as high. Two firsts (and maybe some other picks thrown in, but no more than two from the first-round). The Seattle Seahawks might not be willing to move him for only two firsts, but that means Washington should remove themselves from the running.

I know a lot of people will say three firsts isn’t all that much to get Wilson. And they are probably right. But you can’t ignore the dip in his production last season. And before anyone comments on Seattle’s team, let’s not pretend like the Washington Commanders are stacked offensively. You still need a team around these QBs. And losing too many firsts to get that QB limits your avenues to get weapons.

Let’s be honest, all three quarterbacks would do wonders for the franchise. The Commanders have never had a QB like any of them. But Rodgers is too risky with the contract and the retirement hints. If he’s not happy he doesn’t seem too scared to just end his career. Wilson’s amazing but might be starting to decline at 33.

Watson is the only one that three first-rounders make sense for. He’ll be 27 for the 2022 season. So he could be around for much longer than just three seasons. That gives Washington more time to build a team. Because let’s be honest here. Washington’s biggest need is a quarterback – but it’s not their only need. It doesn’t solve every single problem.

They still need to figure out what’s going on with Brandon Scherff. Wide receivers are needed. Tight end is a major question mark after Logan Thomas suffered multiple injuries in 2021. The secondary still needs work and the linebackers definitely need help.

That’s why even as I type this and think it would be great for them to get a veteran QB, I don’t see a big blockbuster trade happening. The Washington Commanders have gotten some major pieces over the last few years in the draft. They might not want to give up that capital. Especially if they can get a strong option in free agency (I’m not saying there’s anyone exciting in free agency but they might like someone) or in the draft.

That being said, it could also be done as a last-ditch effort from owner Dan Snyder. He might see it as a way to get fans back on his side and hoping it will help get them to rally around him. Good luck with that, Dan.