The Washington Commanders kick off Week 1 in 12 days, and their roster still needs work.

Two position groups demand attention before the NFL season begins: the offensive line & cornerback. Washington has options in free agency, and the clock is ticking. Offensive tackle Taylor Decker, former New York Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal, cornerback Kenny Moore, and cornerback Adoree Jackson all represent realistic additions that could strengthen a roster facing a brutal early schedule.

Commanders fans looking at Philly in Week 1, Dallas in Week 2, and Seattle in Week 3 should understand the urgency here.

So, with all that said, let’s get into it.

The offensive line needs reinforcement

The first call Washington needs to make is to Taylor Decker. The former Detroit Lion is still a free agent after spending years with the Lions. I have to figure he’s waiting for a bigger number or a sizable offer from a team to bolster their offensive line. You have to remember, this guy played forever with one team. He’s used to it. Uprooting to a new city, likely a team that needs offensive line help like the Commanders do, is somewhat of an undertaking.

His fallout with the Lions also centered around the fact he didn’t want to take a pay cut, so I would assume the deal has to be worth it to get Decker. Regardless, Washington needs help post-Laremy Tunsil injury. The offensive line is working in a division where every other defensive line and front seven can get to the quarterback with relative ease by NFL standards.

The second offensive lineman I’d call is Evan Neal, the castoff from the Giants & a former first-round pick. It’s a messy name to mention right now because Neal had a very up-and-down tenure in New York. He was not well-liked and he did not perform exceptionally well. But if your memory is right here, this wouldn’t be the first time Washington could have interest in a former cast-off Giants offensive lineman. The last was Ereck Flowers, who did pretty decently in Washington when he came over.

Neal is a massive, highly athletic human being. He is built like he came out of a laboratory for offensive linemen. His traps, his shoulders, his lower body, his overall body composition is fantastic. The main questions are: are his mentals there? Is his foot speed there? It could be better, but he’s still young. I believe he could even be motivated to get better in the NFL if he stays in the NFC East & could perform against the Giants, the team and the fanbase that crushed him.

In football, what do I care? If you’re an NFL player & you want some get-back, you want revenge, and you don’t care what team you play on, fine with me. Are you going to perform well? Great. Come on in, Evan, the Commanders will take you. Every Giants fan is going to tell me he stinks, he’s the worst lineman ever. Sure.

But it’s worth the shot because I see the roster Washington has on the offensive line, and it’s not great. It’s not that deep. I don’t think it’s reliable, either. Washington is not in a position where they can turn their nose up at taking a swing on a former first-round pick with great potential.

Decker is probably receiving calls right now, a lot of them, & he could choose a team that is better than the Commanders, frankly. But Evan Neal, motivated to be anti-New York Giants, could have a genuinely good opportunity in Washington.

Cornerback depth is dangerously thin

The cornerbacks for Washington right now are Rasul Douglas, Amik Robertson, Mike Sainristil, Fabian Moreau, and Trey Amos on IR. That’s honestly not enough.

Kenny Moore & Adoree Jackson represent the kind of additions that make sense here. The offensive line situation is different because that group is serviceable. I’m not making them the boogeyman. But the defensive backfield needs layered numbers at cornerback, especially with one of your best corners in Amos starting on IR.

Get some guys in here. While I’d prefer they weren’t replacement-level players, it still makes sense. I’d prefer Moore. I’d prefer Jackson. Both have had low moments in the NFL. They’ve also had high moments. It’s about supplementing talent right now.

Can somebody come into the defensive backfield & show up for you for three or four games? Could you have a player who isn’t being yanked off the practice squad if a cornerback gets hurt? Are these two guys going to come in, play, and not throw the entire game away if needed? That’s about the role I’d set with them.

Washington can’t afford to wait

The Commanders are behind the eight ball. Their cornerbacks are not great right now. Poor preparation leads to poor performance, or however that quote goes. They’ve put themselves in this position. So how do they dig themselves out? Is it going to be a blockbuster trade? Do you trade more picks? Are you going to trade one of the foundational pieces of the team? Or can the defensive coaching staff find a way to make Jackson passable? Can Moore come in and be a serviceable nickel, a do-it-all cornerback for the team?

Washington right now is in an unenviable spot of having fewer & fewer options as the days pass. It’s almost a make-a-move-even-if-it’s-wrong scenario, but I’m trying to pitch the most correct answers possible. Just make a move. If the answer was in-house, they would have elevated somebody in-house already. I do not agree with how shallow the cornerback position is, especially when you think about the opening stretch: Philly Week 1. Dallas Week 2. Seattle Week 3. It’s a recipe for disaster if measures aren’t taken.

All four of these players, Decker, Neal, Moore, & Jackson, could be a part of this team, could contribute, and would be a top-percentile addition for this part of the season. Unless Washington is going to make a blockbuster trade, these are the guys the Commanders need to focus on in free agency.