Washington Commanders Draft: 'Optionality' The Key to Offseason Strategy

The Washington Commanders had one goal in mind this offseason and nearing the NFL Draft feel they've achieved it.

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders entered the offseason with a lot of needs and created a bigger one when they traded quarterback Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks.

Through more than two dozen offseason moves, however, the Commanders have not only addressed several potential problems, but created something every NFL team covets when the draft is growing near: Optionality.

Used in this context optionality means Washington doesn't have to do anything - at least not beyond the No. 2 picks - and it can address any number of position groups with any draft pick it sees fit. And that means NFL teams may think they know, but don't really know, what general manager Adam Peters will do beyond taking a quarterback at No. 2 this Thursday night.

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

"I think with the optionality we have in all those picks, anything's in consideration," Peters said. "Like we've said before, we're going to do what's best for this organization. So if that's moving up, if that's moving back, we'll do that. And lucky for us, we have the ability to do so with all the ammo we have."

The operative word in that quote is 'ammo'. Ammunition is not typically used as a passive term, but one of action, a stockpile of material used to effect an outcome preferred by the possessor.

In this case that ammo is defined as nine picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, six of those in the first 100.

"It's not just six picks in the top 100, it's the No. 2 overall pick and then really high second-round picks and the three third-round," Peters said about his stockpile of draft picks. "So that's a lot that we can do with that. It can really help us. (Assitant general manager Lance Newmark) has done a really good job in free agency and now we have a chance to really supplement that and build through this draft...So we're really fortunate to have that and I think we have a real chance to make this team a lot better."