Washington Commanders: Is trading the 11th pick a real possibility?

There are plenty of options for the Washington Commanders with their 11th pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. Is trading it away a real possibility though?

The Washington Commanders have the 11th overall pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. And we’ve seen plenty of potential players they could take in that spot.

There were talks of quarterbacks at one point (that’s died down significantly since the trade for Carson Wentz but it’s not completely gone). Some rumblings of a linebacker as well. Mainly though – we’ve seen defensive backs (led by safety Kyle Hamilton), and a number of different wide receivers.

What if they trade the pick though?

Washington Commanders could trade 11th pick in the Draft

First, let’s go through those options. A quarterback just doesn’t seem realistic anymore. It wouldn’t be a bad move. But Washington more-than-likely didn’t trade for Wentz if they had any chance of going after a QB in the first. Maybe they take one later in the draft, but not here.

Wide receiver is certainly interesting. Especially with Terry McLaurin wanting a new contract. The Commanders should absolutely pay the man. They would be stupid not to give him a long-term deal. But suddenly he’s a question mark.

And with Curtis Samuel’s injury-plagued 2021, this position isn’t exactly strong for Washington.

That being said, if you plan on giving McLaurin that contract – things change. They have one of the best receivers in football. Samuel is only 25 and just a year removed from a career season.

Dyami Brown struggled in his rookie year but has the tools to be great. So yes, you could go to this position – but it also might not really be necessary at all.

Linebacker is “eh”. They went there in the first round last year. So that makes it even less likely. Jamin Davis had a rough rookie campaign but looked better late in the season.

With that in mind, Washington might be more-than-comfortable with Davis pairing with Cole Holcomb and David Mayo (who emerged nicely at the end of last year). Khaleke Hudson is intriguing as well.

Finally, we go to the secondary. Definitely the biggest “position of need” for Washington when it comes to hitting a home run in the draft.

That being said, Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III are a solid cornerback duo. Meanwhile, Benjamin St-Juste might have been their best at the position before an injury ended his rookie season.

Danny Johnson has shown he’s always ready to take advantage of any opportunities as well.

Kamren Curl is a very good safety. Bobby McCain is a good veteran who re-signed this offseason. Jeremy Reaves is phenomenal whenever given the chance to play, and Darrick Forrest is an interesting young piece.

Not an elite group or anything. They could definitely use some help. But it’s not like Washington is absolutely desperate.

And you have to look at the draft position. The 11th pick is absolutely coveted. Right outside the top-10, you could get a top quarterback there. Wide receivers will be available too. Maybe a team wanting an offensive lineman or a defensive back like Kyle Hamilton will be willing to pay.

You can get a lot for a first-round pick too. We’ve seen some eye-popping trades during the draft before. Where teams send multiple firsts just to move up a few spots. Teams are always desperate around the draft, and it gets ramped up to 11 during the draft.

What could the Commanders get back in return, realistically? The other team’s 2022 first, a future first, and another pick or two thrown in there.

This would be phenomenal for Washington. They would get back some draft capital that they lost in the Wentz trade – and get even more as well.

And it’s not like they wouldn’t have options with their new pick too. They would be receiving that team’s 2022 first. So if there is someone at one of those positions that they love and think they could get a little later, why not pull the trigger?

Maybe the Commanders want a cornerback like Andrew Booth Jr. or Trent McDuffie, but feel like they can get them around 20. Or maybe they trade really deep into the first with the idea of taking a quarterback. That way they can still get a franchise QB in the first but add another first next year.

The Washington Commanders are in a very weird position. They have plenty of needs – but it doesn’t feel like there’s that desperation anywhere. At 11 they can get a potential stud. But that would solve just one problem.

Trading back could lead to Washington still getting a great player in the first, but adding more draft capital to plug in some more talent. They aren’t super desperate, so it feels like the perfect time to take advantage of a team that might be.