As a lead-up to the 2023 NFL draft, we've broken down the current depth chart of every NFL team and identified the biggest draft and team needs for the Washington Commanders.
You can find additional team-by-team draft needs articles and other draft content on our 2023 NFL Draft hub.
Who did the Commanders pick in the NFL Draft?
The Washington Commanders selected Emmanuel Forbes (CB, Mississippi State) with the 16th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Commanders added Jartavius Martin (CB, Illinois) with the 47th pick.
Washington selected Ricky Stromberg (C, Arkansas) with the 97th pick.
Commanders Draft Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2023
- Quarterback
- Offensive Line
- Cornerback
What Picks do the Washington Commanders have in 2023?
The Washington Commanders have eight picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, including:
- Round 1 (16)
- Round 2 (47)
- Round 3 (97)
- Round 4 (118)
- Round 5 (150)
- Round 6 (193)
- Round 6 (215)
- Round 7 (233)
Washington Commanders Draft Capital Stats
Our Sharp Draft Value Rank is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.
This is based on two public models: performance delivered based on draft slot (the AV model created by Chase Stuart) and contractual earnings in non-rookie deals based upon draft slot (the OTC model created by Brad Spielberger and Jason Fitzgerald).
- Commanders Sharp Draft Value Rank: 16 of 32 teams
- Commanders AV Model Draft Value Rank: 17 of 32 teams
- Commanders OTC Model Draft Value Rank: 19 of 32 teams
Washington Commanders Draft Value vs Other Teams:
The Commanders' draft value is 7% lower than the league average of all 32 teams. 15 teams have more draft value entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
Washington Commanders Draft Prediction:
The Commanders are predicted to draft Christian Gonzalez (CB, Oregon) with their 1st round pick (#16 overall) according to the most recent mock draft from Ryan McCrystal.
Another mock draft expert, Brendan Donahue, has the Commanders predicted to draft Darnell Wright (OT, Tennessee) with their 1st round pick according to his most recent mock draft.
Washington Commanders Strength of Schedule, 2023
The Washington Commanders have the sixth hardest NFL strength of schedule for the 2023 NFL season.
Washington Commanders Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Raymond Summerlin breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Washington Commanders, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
2022 Washington Commanders Offensive Rankings
Quarterback Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Sam Howell
- Jacoby Brissett
- Jake Fromm
The Carson Wentz experiment went about as well as expected, and he is now looking for his fourth team in as many seasons.
Taylor Heinicke, who started 24 games for the Commanders over the last two seasons, is also gone after signing with the Falcons in free agency.
Those departures leave 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell as the de facto starting quarterback heading into the draft.
ESPN’s John Keim recently reported Washington believes in Howell as their starter and is not planning to take a quarterback in the first round.
Sitting at No. 16 overall, the reality is they might not have a chance at any of the top four prospects even if they wanted to make a move.
Howell is currently 1-0 as a starter after leading Washington to a win over the Cowboys in a meaningless Week 18 contest. He also completed just 11 passes in that game and did not force the issue on Wentz or Heinicke last year.
At one point in his college career, Howell was expected to be the No. 1 overall pick, so he is not exactly a run-of-the-mill late-round quarterback. Still, the Commanders cannot be comfortable with him atop the depth chart.
Unsurprisingly, Washington wanted a quality No. 2 option, and they got that by signing Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal in free agency.
Brissett was quietly solid during his starting run with the Browns last season, finishing 11th in EPA per play and fifth in completion rate over expected during the first 12 weeks.
Brissett getting starts this season would not be a disaster in the short term. Still, this spot remains a major question mark for Washington.
Running Back Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Brian Robinson
- Antonio Gibson
- Jonathan Williams
- Jaret Patterson
- Alex Armah (FB)
Brian Robinson’s rookie season got off to a scary start when he was shot twice in the leg during an attempted robbery. He quickly recovered, however, and ended up leading the Commanders with a 205-797-2 rushing line.
Robinson’s 3.9 yards per carry does not look great, but he did not get a lot of help from his blockers.
Washington finished 27th in yards before contact per attempt per TruMedia, and Robinson was 32nd out of 42 running backs with at least 100 carries in that metric.
Antonio Gibson also suffered from that run blocking, finishing with 564 yards on 149 carries (3.7 YPC).
Gibson did once again see his receiving numbers climb, recording a 46-353-2 line through the air.
With J.D. McKissic no longer on the roster, Gibson is the obvious option for passing-down work, but it is possible Washington looks for another option in the draft, especially with Gibson headed into the final year of his rookie deal.
Jonathan Williams totaled 62 yards on 23 attempts over two starts late in the season, and Jaret Patterson touched the ball 17 times.
The Commanders could use a little more depth here.
Wide Receiver Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Terry McLaurin
- Jahan Dotson
- Curtis Samuel
- Dyami Brown
- Dax Milne
- Kyric McGowan
- Marcus Kemp
- Alex Erickson
This starting receiver trio deserves a better quarterback.
Despite Washington finishing 28th in on-target throw rate in 2022, Terry McLaurin turned in yet another 1,000-yard season (77-1,191-5). Among 88 receivers with at least 300 routes, he finished 15th in yards per route run.
McLaurin is under contract through 2025 after signing a three-year extension last June.
The No. 16 overall pick last year, Jahan Dotson caught 35 passes for 523 yards and a team-leading seven touchdowns in 12 games.
Over the final four weeks of the season, he averaged 6.5 catches and 72.5 yards per game with two touchdowns.
Following a lost first season in Washington, Curtis Samuel rebounded with a 64-656-4 receiving line in 2022.
He played out of the slot on nearly 70 percent of his snaps, and 25 percent of his targets came behind the line of scrimmage, the fifth-highest rate among receivers who ran at least 300 routes in 2022.
His 6.7 air yards per target was 82nd among the 88 receivers in that group. He was 30th in yards after the catch, which is respectable but not great for someone who is used and paid the way he is.
Samuel is headed into the final year of his contract.
The other receivers on the roster combined for 39 targets last season. 14 of those went to 2021 third-rounder Dyami Brown, who has not shown much through two seasons.
Given Samuel’s contract situation, the team could look to bring in someone in the draft.
Tight End Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Logan Thomas
- John Bates
- Cole Turner
- Armani Rogers
- Curtis Hodges
Logan Thomas struggled last season.
Among the 44 tight ends who ran at least 200 routes, he finished 36th in yards per route run (0.89), easily his worst mark since joining the Commanders. Thomas finished 40th in yards after catch per reception among that group.
He will turn 32 in July and appears to be in his decline phase.
John Bates has primarily been a blocker since being selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft.
The Commanders drafted Cole Turner in the fifth round last year.
A wide receiver early in his college career, Turner rarely played inline at Nevada and could turn into the pass-catching option at the position.
Armani Rogers has an interesting physical profile, but he is attempting the switch from college quarterback to NFL tight end, one that took Thomas several seasons.
New offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy comes from a passing offense led by Travis Kelce.
It is unlikely they find someone like Kelce in the draft, but the Commanders should take advantage of what is generally regarded as a good crop of tight end prospects.
Offensive Line Depth Chart, Commanders:
LT: Charles Leno/Trent Scott/Aaron Monteiro/Drew Himmelman
LG: Andrew Norwell/Chris Paul/Keaton Sutherland
C: Nick Gates/Chase Roullier/Tyler Larsen
RG: Sam Cosmi/Saahdiq Charles/Nolan Laufenberg
RT: Andrew Wylie/Cornelius Lucas/Alex Akingbulu
Washington’s offensive line struggled in 2022.
They finished 26th in pressure rate allowed (24.6 percent) and 27th in ESPN’s pass block win rate (53%).
As mentioned above, Washington finished 27th in yards before contact per run. ESPN had them 19th in run block win rate (71%).
Unsurprisingly, the Commanders addressed the position via free agency by bringing in Andrew Wylie on a three-year, $24 million contract and Nick Gates on a three-year, $16.5 million contract.
Wylie can play multiple spots along the line, but he is expected to start at right tackle.
That was a major weakness for Washington last season, but Wylie was not exactly great either, finishing 48th among 56 qualifying tackles in PFF’s pass blocking efficiency.
Gates should battle Chase Roullier at center. Both players have dealt with major injuries over the last two seasons.
Sam Cosmi has not been great at right tackle through two seasons, but the move to right guard to replace the departed Trai Turner could suit him well. Still, that is a projection.
Charles Leno and Andrew Norwell appear locked in on the left side of the line, but both are aging and could be upgraded.
Despite the work in free agency, this remains a major need.
Washington Commanders Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Washington Commanders, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
2022 Washington Commanders Defensive Rankings
Interior Defensive Line Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Daron Payne
- Jonathan Allen
- John Ridgeway
- Abdullah Anderson
- Phidarian Mathis
- David Bada
- Benning Potoa’e
Washington made a big move by re-signing Daron Payne to a four-year, $90 million contract before the start of free agency.
Payne had his best season as a pro in 2022, recording 11.5 sacks and 49 total pressures, ninth most among defensive linemen according to PFF.
Jonathan Allen still has three seasons left on his current contract, giving the Commanders a high-end duo on the inside for the next several seasons.
Allen finished third among defensive linemen with 17 rush stuffs last season and notched 7.5 sacks of his own.
Washington added Abdullah Anderson for some additional depth, and John Ridgeway contributed 280 snaps on the line last season.
This position is a strength.
EDGE Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Chase Young
- Montez Sweat
- Efe Obada
- James Smith-Williams
- Casey Toohill
- Will Bradley-King
- Shaka Toney (suspended for 2023)
A 2021 ACL tear kept Chase Young on the sidelines for the majority of the 2022 season. He appeared in just three games, recording zero sacks in 115 defensive snaps.
Young recorded nine sacks and 44 pressures over the first 24 games of his career before the knee injury, but the Commanders likely have at least some concern given he missed the next 22 games due to the ACL tear.
Washington faces an interesting decision on Young’s fifth-year option. The deadline is May 1st.
The Commanders also face a contract decision for Montez Sweat, who is owed $11.5 million on his fifth-year option in 2023 and scheduled to be a free agent after the season.
Sweat logged eight sacks last season and recorded a pressure on 14.5% of his pass rushing snaps, 18th among players with at least 250 pass rushes via PFF.
Efe Obada, James Smith-Williams, and Casey Toohill combined to pick up the slack with Young out last year. That trio combined for eight sacks.
Washington has a good duo at the top and solid depth, but there is significant contractual uncertainty in this group.
It would not be a surprise if the Commanders look at pass rushers in the draft.
Off-ball Linebacker Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Jamin Davis
- Cody Barton
- David Mayo
- Khaleke Hudson
- De’Jon Harris
- Milo Eifler
- Drew White
- Nathan Gerry
2021 first-rounder Jamin Davis took a step forward in 2022, playing 85% of the defensive snaps and recording 104 tackles.
He still struggles in coverage, though, and has yet to become an above-average option.
Cody Barton was signed on a one-year deal to replace Cole Holcomb.
Barton got the first significant playing time of his career in Seattle last season and responded with 136 tackles and two sacks.
David Mayo offers solid veteran depth, but nothing else about this group really stands out.
Washington plays with two or fewer linebackers on the field on over 90% of their snaps via TruMedia, so the depth here is not particularly important.
Still, the defense could benefit from a high-end linebacker whether that comes from a new addition or Davis taking another step forward.
Cornerback Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Kendall Fuller
- Benjamin St-Juste
- Danny Johnson
- Cameron Dantzler
- Christian Holmes
- Rachad Wildgoose
- DaMarcus Fields
- Tariq Castro-Fields
Kendall Fuller continues to play good football.
He finished 35th in yards allowed per coverage snap among corners with at least 300 coverage snaps in 2022 via PFF.
2021 third-rounder Benjamin St-Juste did not fare as well in that metric (84th) and has missed 13 games through his first two seasons.
Danny Johnson was brought back on a two-year deal this offseason after a solid finish to 2022, but he is probably better suited for a versatile backup role than the starting lineup.
A former third-round pick, Cameron Dantzler was a good upside addition, but he has struggled to stay on the field to this point in his career.
The Commanders need to add a premier talent to this position group. It would not be surprising to see them target a corner in the first round.
Safety Depth Chart, Commanders:
- Kamren Curl
- Darrick Forrest
- Percy Butler
- Jeremy Reaves
- Troy Apke
Kamren Curl has developed into one of the better safeties in the league.
He recorded a tackle on 14.9% of his run defense snaps in 2022, 11th among qualifying defensive backs via PFF.
Washington probably would like to see more playmaking from him – zero interceptions and forced fumbles over the last two seasons – but he has returned outstanding value as a 2020 seventh-round pick.
With Curl entering the final year of his rookie contract, the Commanders should be looking at a contract extension.
A fifth-round pick in 2021, Darrick Forrest established himself as a starter in 2022, recording 88 tackles and four interceptions in 850 defensive snaps.
Bobby McCain, who was on the field for 971 snaps as a safety-corner hybrid last season, is now with the Giants.
Washington could rely on fourth-round sophomore Percy Butler or Jeremy Reaves stepping into bigger roles, but they could also add some more depth given how many defensive backs they use.
