The Washington Commanders may have let a late divisional win get in the way of a franchise-changing move in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Commanders would currently have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if they lost to the Giants, with a chance to finish with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Washington Commanders are currently 4-11 with two games left in the season, and just on the outside of having a top-5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even with how bad their record is, the Commanders could still finish outside the top-5 picks in the draft in a wasted season, and only have six draft picks to work with. By the time the season ends and the draft order settles out, a lot of people are going to look back at the win against the New York Giants as a big what-if result.
It’ll be a debate that splits the fan base, but the Commanders would’ve been on the doorstep of the No. 1 overall pick in the draft if they had lost to the Giants.
The Commanders could have the No. 3 overall pick right now if they hadn’t beaten the Giants
Of course, players are still trying to win, and that’s the goal every single week, even in a lost season with not much to look forward to with so many injuries. If the Commanders lose the last two games, which is very likely, was it worth beating the New York Giants at the end of the season? Some might say it wasn’t, and it actually cost them a chance at a top-3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and potentially the No. 1 overall pick.
There are a ton of bad teams ahead of the Commanders right now, but they still have the SOS advantage heading into the final two games. The Commanders would’ve been 3-12 and ahead of every team except the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns.
The Raiders have a chance to win another game against either the Giants or the Kansas City Chiefs to end the season, and the same with the Browns, who are playing the Steelers without D.K. Metcalf, and the Cincinnati Bengals to end the season. Having a top-3 pick would be massive, but having the No. 1 overall pick could’ve been franchise-changing.
The Commanders could’ve traded back for a haul from the No. 1 overall pick
The Commanders having only six picks in the draft, and not a single one in the second or fourth round, really hurts this offseason. The team has many needs to fill, and they need as many young players as possible to rebuild the roster.
Sure, trading back could still be an option, but it’s very less likely outisde of the top-3 with teams probably only trading up for one of the two possible quarterback prospects.
Imagine the Commanders having the No. 1 overall pick, and the New York Jets finishing with the No. 5 overall pick, wanting to trade up for Fernando Mendoza. The Jets made multiple moves at the trade deadline to acquire extra first and second-round picks. The Commanders could’ve traded back to No. 5 overall, and potentially landed the No. 36 overall pick, the No. 104 overall pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and EDGE Jermaine Johnson in a haul. The possibilities would be endless.
Of course, that’s the what-if situation, but the reality now is that the Commanders likely finish somewhere in the No. 5 to No. 7 overall pick range, and they have to nail whatever decision they end up making.
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