NFL Beast

The Best Damn NFL News Site Ever!


CB or OL: Which route does Washington go in the first round?

2 min read
   

#NFLBeast #NFL #NFLTwitter #NFLUpdate #NFLNews #NFLBlogs

#Washington #FootballTeam #WashingtonFootballTeam #WFT #NFC #HogsHaven

By: Jamual Forrest

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 draft presents the Commanders with good options in the first round at a couple of positions of need. On the latest Trap or Dive Podcast, Jamual discusses the talent pool at OL and CB with co-hosts AJ and Dre and the most effective ways for Washington to address both position groups.

The offensive line has several unanswered questions heading into the off-season, with all but one spot seemingly stable with left tackle Charles Leno. Unfortunately for Leno, it’s not good for that unit if he is the best player on the line. So while the answer for a couple of positions may already be on their roster, Washington must find solutions at left guard, center, right guard, and right tackle.

Sam Cosmi has the potential to fill guard or tackle, and Chris Paul made a case to fill a guard spot, but was Paul’s debut strong enough to convince the coaches to begin looking to fill out the depth behind Paul? Furthermore, with Cosmi playing in 23 (15 starts) out of a potential 34 regular season games, does Washington trust him enough to move forward with plans of developing him at one position that will allow him to maximize his potential?

As for cornerback, Benjamin St-Juste needs help. While the third-year player has also missed time, playing in just 21 (15 starts) out of 34 potential regular season games, St-Juste quickly proved his worth to the secondary in year two when he did see the field. The Commanders moved on from their 2021 prized free agent signing William Jackson III after playing in four games this season, creating a very thin cornerback group in Washington. Veteran Kendall Fuller has a knack for making plays on the football, but Washington could use an upgrade over Fuller while finding another role for him to thrive in on the defense.

Or, perhaps, maybe even trading Fuller for some draft compensation.

The free agent and draft have several talented interior offensive linemen the Commanders could look to acquire. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the cornerback position, as free agency does not provide as large of a pool.

Both are clear needs for Washington, and are among the top roster priorities this off-season.

What do you think Washington’s approach in the first round should be?

Check out the latest Trap or Dive Podcast, where AJ, Dre, and I break down the Commanders OL, CB, and LB positions as they head into the off-season.

Originally posted on Hogs Haven